Babysitting Duty
by gublers
Summary: Prequel to "Soccer Boys". Henry is staying over at Garcia's while JJ and the team are out of state! Second story in my Golden Boys series. Henry/Jack/Garcia fluff!
1. Tuesday

**AN:** Hey guys! So this is a prequel to "_Soccer Boys_" (you can find it in my profile), but you can read both independently. This story will contain four chapters. I know where I'm going with this, so hopefully it'll be finished in about a week or so, depending on how work goes. This will mainly be Garcia/Henry/Jack, with appearances of the team!

I've decided to call this collection of stories The Golden Boys, as both Henry and Jack have blond hair… I might have had a shortage of inspiration, please forgive me.

After this one, I have a few others planned if it's something you would want me to write. Let me know!

Once again, this has not been beta-ed, so all mistakes are mine. Let me know if you see something that shouldn't be there!

Oh, a few things before I let you go! Mike Wasowski is a monster from Monsters, Inc, if you didn't know, and if you haven't read _"Soccer Boys"_ – Will died.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Criminal Minds_ or its characters. This is for entertainment purpose only, and I am not receiving any kind of compensations

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"Wheels up in thirty," announced their Unit Chief, as they all rose, and gathered their files.

The team of profilers was summoned in the mountains of Montana, where an UnSub was using his dog to hunt; only the game they were tracking and killing was human. JJ's blood had frozen in her veins when Garcia showed them the horrifying pictures of the murders on their tablets, reminding her of the Tobias Hankel case, where she had come way too close to never coming out of that barn alive. To make matter worse, every pair of eyes in the room had turned to her, knowing she had developed a fear of dogs since the accident.

As they all filed out of the conference room, JJ was trying to decide who to ask to babysit Henry while they were gone. Just last week, she had had to leave him with Garcia for six days, and the blonde profiler didn't think it was fair to ask her to do it again this time, even though the technical analyst loved having Henry over. If she called her mother, she would probably have time to drive all the way to D.C before Henry got out of school, but it was really last minute, and her mom probably had other plans. Running her hands through her hair to relieve the stress, JJ heard Garcia calling after her.

"Jayj, do you need me to pick up Henry after school?"

Relief flooded through JJ, and she let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding.

"That would be so nice of you," the profile said thankful. "I can call my mom, and see if she can come and babysit until we come back. Or maybe I could call that woman across the street…" She felt guilty she had to rely on Garcia once again.

"Nonsense, I have nothing planned, you know your mother is already babysitting your niece, and there's no way I'm letting Henry with that old witch!" Garcia said.

"Pen, Mrs. Andersen is not a witch… She's just…old?" JJ had really no better explanation to describe her neighbour.

"She doesn't let Henry play in the yard 'cause she's afraid he'll bring bugs inside the house! And all she let him watch is ridiculous soap operas! He missed two episodes of Doctor Who last month!" The tech genius was aghast.

JJ laughed at her friend's expression. She had to admit Garcia had a point. Henry loved to play outside, and she couldn't imagine him cooped up inside this old house for more than a day. She didn't know how long they would be out of state, and she didn't even know Mrs. Andersen that well.

"Yeah, you got a point," JJ agreed. "I just feel bad dumping him on you like that every time we get called away. You've already done so much for us since Will died..." The younger woman lowered her head, knowing she couldn't look her best friend in the eyes without shedding a few tears, and she wasn't willing to break down in the middle of the bullpen, again.

Garcia took a step in JJ's direction, and pulled her friend into a bear hug, always knowing – as the oracle of all knowledge should – when her hugs were needed.

"You know I love Henry to pieces, sugar pie," the hacker said into JJ's hair. "I'd do anything for both of you, and now I'm telling you I will pick him up after school, and I'll take him to my place, and him and I are going to have a blast," Garcia's tone left no room for argument.

JJ parted from the embrace, and she wiped a lone tear away, taking a deep breath.

"I'll go get his go bag in the car then," she finally conceded, with a force smile. "Thanks, PG. You are the best, I owe you."

"You don't owe me anything, gumdrop," the tech asserted, her tone sincere.

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At 4:30PM, Garcia's phone chimed, telling her it was time to pack her babies, and get going if she was going to pick up Henry before 5PM.

Once in the car, she noticed as she was readjusting her rear-view mirror that JJ had left Henry's little car seat in the back. Garcia had given her best friend a double of her car key; it was simpler for JJ to just switch the seat as she got her son's go bag, rather than dragging it all the way up to the tech's lair and back. Before turning the engine on, Penelope quickly sent two text messages.

**Sir, leaving the BAU to pick up Henry, if you need me, I'll be available in about 40 minutes, Garcia.**

**On my way to pick up the little munchkin! We'll call you before bed! Love you, PG xx**

Satisfied that her messages, especially the first one, had been delivered, the blonde analyst started the car, and went on her way to collect the little LaMontagne from school.

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"Auntie Pen'lope!" Henry exclaimed when he saw his favourite aunt waiting for him in the school yard after school. He ran as fast as he could, an arm flailing in the air, while lugging his school bag and lunchbox behind him. He jumped in her arms, both bags forgotten on the ground, and wrapped his little arms around her neck as tight as he could. As he withdrew from the hug, Henry looked up at her and gave his aunt one of the sweetest smiles.

"Mama is gone chasing the bad guys?" he asked her, not at all bothered by the fact that her mommy was away – again.

"That's right, buddy. It's just you and I for a little while," Garcia confirmed. "We're gonna have the greatest of time!" The tech analyst declared cheerfully as she put Henry back down on his feet, and picked up his bags.

Henry looked like he was about to say something, when shrilly voice called his name.

"Bye, Henry! See you tomorrow," a little girl with brown curly hair waved at him.

"Bye, Sofia! Oh! Bye bye, Lucas!" Henry waved back at his friends.

"You ready to go, love bug?" Garcia offered the little boy her hand. Henry nodded all smiles, and they made their way to the car.

"Mama gave you my bag with my things in it?" The blond boy inquired as Garcia popped the trunk open.

"Of course, chico, like she always do."

Once everything had been loaded in the back, Garcia walked to the driver's door where Henry was waiting for her.

"You don't need to help me with the seat belt anymore," Henry announced proudly. "I can clip 'em on my own."

"Look at you, Mr. LaMontagne! Such a big boy," Garcia chirped. "In that case, show me how it's done," the tech genius asked for a demonstration, wanting to make sure he was buckled up properly.

Henry waggled until he was sitting all the way back in his seat, slipped his arms through the straps, and fastened the first clip over his chest. Then, tongue out in concentration, secured the two between his legs.

"Tadam!" he cried raising both hands by his head, and wiggling his fingers in excitement.

"Good job, baby! High five," his aunt praised, offering her hand for him to clap.

Penelope pushed the driver's seat back in its right position, and sat behind the wheel, before slamming the door close. She instinctively reached for her phone to check if she had missed notifications: nothing.

"Auntie Pen'lope?" Henry said in a small voice.

"What's up, Sugar Bug? The woman looked in her rear-view mirror, surprised to see unshed tears in Henry's bright blue eyes.

"Where am I going to sleep?" he asked, his voice strangled by tears.

"In your room at my place, Bunny Love, like usual. What's the matter, Henry?" Garcia had dealt with crying spells before. They weren't unusual, especially after a tiring day at school. She turned around in her seat so she was facing him. Hot tears were trailing down his little cheeks, he chewed on two fingers as he blubbered, drool dribbling out of his mouth and onto his shorts.

"Oh, Henry," his godmother tried to console him, patting gently one of his knees. "Will you tell Auntie Penelope what's wrong, love?

Taking a deep, but shaky breath, the boy took his digits out of his mouth.

"It's…it's be-because I…I," he stuttered. "I left Mike Waz at my house, in my room," he started sobbing. "Heeeee's not in my baaaaag."

"Henry, baby," Garcia soothed. "Look at me," she reached out, and lifted his chin so he was staring at her. "You know I have the keys to your house, and Auntie Penelope would never let Mike Wazowski sleep alone!" she said, mocking outrage.

"How about you dry those crocodile tears, we go rescue little Mike Waz, and then," she said intriguingly, waiting a second to create suspense before she finished, "we stop and get a Happy Meal?! We can eat in front of a movie!"

Her proposition was, as expected, met with a beautiful toothy smile, and a squeal.

"Just don't tell mommy about the Happy Meal," she winked at her godson, and he giggled. JJ knew her best friend treated her son to McDonald's at least once during his stays with the hacker. He would always bring back cheap toys in his go bag, but of course she didn't mind.

Once again, after she made sure that Henry was back to his happy cheerful self, she sent two text messages before turning the engine on.

**Sir, little child crisis. It'll be another hour before I'm available. I would apologize, but I'm not sorry! If you need anything in the meantime, Rose Sanders is your girl. Garcia**

**Little man forgot his Wazowski :'( Stopping by your house. We'll call around 8:30, catch the creep! Love you, PG xx**

Before she got the chance to send her second message her phone buzzed in her hand.

**We have no lead yet, take the night off, Garcia. It's an order.**

"Let's get going, buddy!"

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Forty-five minutes later, the catastrophe had been averted. Henry was happily snuggling with his stuffed monster on the couch, waiting for his aunt to turn the TV on. Garcia had sat him down, promising to return in a minute with their dinner. She was busy in the kitchen, emptying Henry's lunch box when her cellphone vibrated in the living room.

"Auntie Pen'lope! Your phone is going bizz, bizz!" the blue-eyed boy informed her from the other end of her apartment.

Garcia abandoned what she was doing, and went to grab her phone. Turning the TV on, she gave the Apple TV remote to her godson.

"Remember how to pick a movie?" she asked him. He nodded vigorously. "Alright, I'll just drop your bags in your room, and I'll be back with the food. Do you have any papers for mommy to sign?" This time, he shook his head in negation, his attention focus on the Netflix menu. She pocketed her phone, picked up both of Henry's bags, and walked to "his" room.

Considering how often her godson would spend the night over at her place, the technical analyst had decided it would be better for Henry to have his own room, and so on his second stay, she had taken him shopping. They had decided on a race car bed, a bright green and blue bedspread, and Morgan had painted the previously white guest room, in bright shades of green and orange (to match the cars on the comforter).

Garcia dropped his school bag by the door, and set his go bag down on the bed. Her phone buzzed again – reminding her she hadn't checked her message before – as she was taking Henry's clothes out, to put them in his little dresser.

Checking her iPhone screen, she had one message from JJ.

**I'm so sorry I forgot his Mike, we were in a hurry this morning. I hope all is good, and he's not giving you too much trouble. Miss you guys. This case has everyone on edge. Kiss my baby for me. Love you both, JJ xxx **

Not one to leave a text message unanswered, Garcia typed up real fast a reply before finishing the task she had set to do in her nephew's bedroom.

**You couldn't have known you'd be called away! He's being wonderful, talk to you soon. PG xx**

"Auntie! Are ya comin'?" Henry shouted from the couch. "I'm hungry!"

"I'll be right there! Did you pick a movie for us to watch?"

"I did! Can we watch _Rio_ again?" This was Henry's current favourite movie, and he would watch it any chance he'd get. If Garcia was being honest, she would have demanded he picked something else, but not wanting to upset him, she agreed.

"Sure thing, sunshine," she walked in the living room, carrying Henry's Happy Meal box, and his apple juice. She placed his dinner on his little red plastic lap tray, and he did the honors of starting the movie, before digging into his food.

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Half an hour later, Henry was nodding off. He had laid his head on his stuffed Mike Wazowski, telling Garcia "he was just resting his eyes for a minute," when she had asked him to wash the smudge of ketchup off his face. Her godson had devoured his nuggets, fries and the apple slices that came with the meal in the blink of an eye, and had fallen asleep just as fast.

Deciding she would let him doze for no more than fifteen minutes, so it wouldn't disrupt his sleep pattern, Penelope paused the movie, and got her laptop out of its case to check her emails.

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"Wakey, wakey, Mr. Henry," Garcia said softly not to startle the boy. Henry opened his eyes. Seeming confused about where he was, he sat right up, his eyes darting around the room. The child's body relaxed as he took in his surroundings and the little blond boy lain back down, nuzzling into his green monster, grumbling incomprehensively.

Garcia shook his shoulder gently, trying to rouse him.

"Henry, you have to get up, buddy. We need to go and get Clooney over at Uncle Derek's place."

Unexpectedly, Henry's eyes flew open, and he jumped off the couch as fast as his sleepy limbs would let him. Landing on wobbly feet, the boy raised his arms, silently demanding that Garcia pick him up, which the blonde hacker did readily.

"Is Clooney gonna sleep here with me?" Henry asked once in his godmother's arms.

"He sure is! We can't leave him alone while Uncle D is out of town, now can we?" Garcia answered him as she swung the child onto her hip, already picking up her keys and grabbing her purse off the hook. Henry shook his head.

"We have to bring his big bone!" Henry said, exaggeratedly stretching his arms to show her how big it was. "It's his favourite toy," he added, grinning.

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The clock struck 8PM when Garcia unlocked her apartment for the last time that day. She didn't even get the chance to take the key out of the lock before Henry thrust the door open, and ran in the hallway shouting "come get the ball, Clooney!" while waving the red rubber toy in the air, taunting the German Sheppard. The dog pushed past Penelope who let go of the leash, so he could follow Henry inside.

They had first stopped at Morgan's place to feed and walk the dog. Henry had insisted on holding the leash: "I want to pretend that he's my dog," he had whispered in her godmother's ear. Garcia, of course had granted his wish, having no qualms about letting the little boy lead Clooney; he had done it on many occasions before, and the German Sheppard was well behaved, and would never do anything to hurt the kid.

On their walk back to Morgan's building, Henry had asked if they could stop at a park on their way home so he could throw a ball around. After checking on her watch, Penelope had accepted, but for not more than twenty minutes; he still had to take a bath, and call his mommy before bed. Henry hadn't argued, probably because the concept of time was still foreign to him. He and Clooney had run around, chasing bouncing balls and sticks until Henry had gotten thirsty and asked to go back home.

Dropping Clooney's huge food bag on the floor, the tech analyst shut the front door with her heel. She hung her bag on its hook and threw her keys on the coffee table, and finally, she turned around to slide the deadbolt into place. Kicking off her heels – well that had been a bad idea – she trudged through the hallway, and into the kitchen where she found her godson sitting on the ground, giggling as Clooney licked his face, trying to get this little human to hand him over his toy.

"Alright, my little blond god! It's time to take a bath before bedtime," Penelope instructed, bending down to pick up her godson. "Clooney, off," she warned the overexcited dog.

"We haven't called mama!" Henry exclaimed, suddenly afraid he wouldn't be able to say goodnight. He stuck out his bottom lip in a pout, swallowing back his tears.

"Do not fret, baby!" Garcia said merrily in an attempt to curtail his cries. "You know we always call your mommy on the phone, Henry," she added as she pressed a soft kiss on the forehead. "Now let's get you cleaned up so we can talk to mommy."

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"Henry, you forgot Mike Waz on the couch," Garcia let him know from the living room where she had left her iPhone. The little pajama-clad boy dashed through the apartment, Clooney on his heels, the dog thinking they were still playing.

Back in his race car bed all tucked in, and with the German Sheppard curled up at his feet, Garcia handed him the phone so Henry could press the call button himself.

"Can we do the thing so I can see her face?" he asked, referring to a FaceTime call. Knowing JJ would decline if she wasn't able to take the video call, Garcia nodded.

"You just have to push the little camcorder icon," she guided. Penelope sat on the side of the bed, waiting for the profiler to pick up.

"Hey, buddy," JJ's voice came cutting out at first as the connection was being established. At the sound of his mother, Henry's tired eyes brightened.

"Hey mama!" he clapped a hand on this mouth, his gaze riveted on his mother.

"How are you doing, baby? Are you being nice to your Auntie?" Garcia could hear Reid and Morgan arguing in hushed tones about food in the background. The team was probably back at their hotel for the night. Henry, distracted by his uncles, nodded absent-mindedly.

"Oh! Clooney is sleeping in my bed tonight!" Henry blurted out excitedly, sending the phone flying. "Whoops," he giggled, picking his mommy back up.

"Careful there buddy, you gonna give mommy a bump on the head," JJ joked. Her son laughed, rubbing his own head as if he had bonked it.

"Mama, will you read my story?" he asked, his eyes pleading.

"Of course, baby. Now get all comfy in bed, and I'll read it to you." Pleased that he would hear his favourite bedtime story even though his mom was away, Henry lied on his side, tucking his Mike Wazowski to his chest, handing the phone back to his Auntie so she would hold it for him. Then, JJ started.

"Once there was a baby star. He lived up near the sun. And every night at bedtime that baby star wanted to have fun. He would shine and shine, and fall and shoot and twinkle oh so bright. And he said, '_Mommy, I'll run away if you make me say good-night_.' And then his mommy kissed his sparkly nose," and JJ kissed Henry's nose through her phone, "and said, '_no matter where you go, no matter where you are, no matter how big you grow and even if you stay far, I'll love you forever, because you're always my baby star_.'"

"Again," Henry demanded, his eyelids growing heavy with sleep. And so JJ obliged, and told him the story once more. Her son was asleep before she got to the end.

"I love you, buddy," she whispered.

Penelope flipped the phone around so she could see her friend.

"Hey, how's the case going? Any leads?" the tech questioned. Not used to be so out of the loop.

"No nothing," JJ ran her fingers through her hair. "Hotch sent us back to the hotel, there's nothing we can do tonight. The locals aren't happy we're here. They're making our job a lot harder," she sighed in frustration.

"I'm sorry, pumpkin," Garcia said sympathetically. "Hopefully things go better tomorrow," she added, as she exited her godson's room, leaving Clooney behind to watch over her nephew.

"I hope so, I'm having a tough time with this case," JJ confided. "Well, I better get going; they're waiting on me to order dinner. Call me if anything happens."

"Okay, will do. Get some rest, Jayj. 'Night."

"Goodnight," the profiler ended the call.

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Later that night, Garcia made sure that all the windows and doors were locked, switched off all the lights – except the bathroom one in case Henry got up in the middle of the night – before changing into her nightwear, and flopped down onto bed, exhausted.

A few minutes later, after having checked all of her social media accounts and her emails one last time, she shot Morgan a text message.

**Hola, my gorgeous chocolate thunder! The beast has been fed and brought to my place. I think Henry wore him down! They are too cute together. Don't give Reid too much of a hard time, I heard arguing earlier ;) – the goddess of your dreams xxx**

Penelope attached a picture she had taken earlier of Henry playing with Clooney at the park.

**Awww, look at my two favourite boys! I'll show it to JJ. Goodnight, baby girl xxxx :-***

**Goodnight, sweetness. PG out. Xx**

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**AN:** So there you have it. Day 1 of Henry's stay at Garcia! What did you think? Jack will be in the last two chapters of this story, if you were wondering.

Also, I do not own the story JJ tells Henry. I'm only borrowing it.

As usual, **reviews feed my muses**, so if you want to see more, you know what to do! No, but seriously, I'd be really grateful if you could take a minute, and leave a comment to let me know if you liked it, or not. What you'd like to see, etc.


	2. Wednesday

**AN:** I just want to apologise. I know I said I would probably have two chapters up this week, but alas. Life really got in the way. Work has been pretty stressful; the usual "excuses." I have off all week though, so I'm hoping to have at least one more chapter up by the end of it.

I didn't really get any feedback for the first chapter of this story, so I'm not really sure if anyone is reading/enjoying this story. I think that's what put a damper on my writing this week. I've been kind of doubting myself. It would be really nice if you could just let me know if you are reading. You can just tell me your favourite _Criminal Minds_ episode or anything really. Just let me know you are reading? It would mean a lot.

As usual, all mistakes are mine; this hasn't been beta-ed by anyone but me. If you spot anything awry let me know.

**Disclaimers:** I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters. This is for entertainment purposes only, and I am not receiving any kind of compensations.

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Garcia woke up before her alarm even went off that day. The tech analyst usually was not a morning person; hitting snooze until she couldn't afford it any longer was like a second occupation, and she excelled at it. Remembering that Henry was sleeping in the next room, Penelope blindly reached over her head, groping for her iPhone. The device always seemed to mysteriously land under her pillow between the headboard and the mattress throughout the night. Closing her fingers around the coveted object, she pushed the home button. Pulling the phone close to her face so she could see what time it was, she let out a muffled groan as a blurry 6:27AM flashed in front of her eyes. She unlocked the screen to disable her multiple morning alarms. Garcia decided she'd get a head start on her day instead of going back to sleep, and reluctantly pulled the sheets in a swift motion before swinging her legs over the side of her bed. Feet dangling off the edge of the mattress, she found her glasses on their usual spot on her nightstand, and blinked a few times to clear her vision as she put them on.

Wanting to make sure her godson was okay before hitting the shower, the blonde woman shuffled down the hallway to his room. Having picked up on movements outside the room, Clooney had woken up, his ears straight and eyes alert. When he saw Garcia, his body relaxed and he started wagging his tail.

"Come on, Clooney," the tech whispered, her hand gesturing for him to come. The dog quietly jumped off the bed, and joined Penelope outside the room. Closing the door behind them to ensure that Henry wouldn't be disturbed by the imminent noises that came with her morning routine, the blonde knelt down in front of the four-leg baby, showering him with some morning cuddles and ear scratches.

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Penelope Garcia definitely had a colourful personality; her moods were often all over the place, and she probably exhibited most of the ADHD traits, but if there was one thing nobody could ever fault her for were her surprising organization skills.

Under thirty-five minutes, the computer genius had fed the German Sheppard, packed both hers and Henry's lunch, had showered, got dressed, put her make-up on, and had gathered all of her things by the door.

She tiptoed into Henry's room, wet hair from the shower wrapped in a towel. She pulled a few drawers open, getting her nephew an outfit ready for him to change into when he woke up.

"I don't wanna wear my blue shirt," Henry grumbled as a way of greeting her. Despite his typical sweet and docile temper, her godson had inherited his mother's morning grouchiness. Turning around, Garcia was met with a little frowning man sitting up in bed. Henry rubbed his eyes, and scratched his chest distractedly, looking around in search of something.

"Good morning to you too, sunshine," his aunt chanted.

"Where's Clooney?" Well, this was definitely going to be an interesting morning. Garcia hoped his mood would improve as he woke up fully.

"He's probably on the couch gnawing at his bone," she answered him, keeping her tone light and happy. "So which shirt would you like to put on today?"

Henry didn't answer. He kicked the covers, slipped out of bed and ran out of the room calling the dog's name. Discarding his clothes on top of his dresser, the Tech followed him out, and into the living room where she found him already half lying on the dog, half on the couch, the Apple TV in hand and pointed at the flat screen.

"Henry, you know the rule, buddy. No TV until you are ready for school," Garcia reminded her godson, and then took the remote away from him.

"I don't want to go to school. I want to watch the end of _Rio_, my tummy hurts," he whined, patting his stomach in feign discomfort. Garcia almost laughed at his pretty terrible acting skills.

"Auntie Pen knows you aren't sick, Gumdrop. You know I know everything," she winked. The Tech knew he was testing her, to see how much he could push until the elastic snapped; to evaluate how much he could get away with. The kid did it routinely, – to see if he'd get a bit of leniency as time went by – mostly early in the mornings, when his mood was crabby, much to his aunt's dismay.

"Yes, I'm sick," he reiterated, hiding his face into Clooney's fur, and kicking his feet on the sofa.

"You are going to school, and I'm going to work. That's the end of it, Henry," Garcia said sternly. She almost shuddered at her own voice.

"I don't like you anymore," Henry declared pettily, looking up at Garcia with furrowed brows.

"That's okay, baby. I still and will always love you," Penelope said, trying not to show the hurt in her voice. She knew he didn't mean it. Children said things like that all the time, but she couldn't help it. The words stung.

"Now," she continued pointing a finger toward the hallway. "You go get dressed, and I'll make you breakfast. Then you can watch your movie while you eat." Garcia laid out their "game plan" with a commanding tone she didn't often use, mainly because it made her sound more like a mother, and less like the fun auntie she wanted to be 24/7.

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In his bedroom, Henry dove in his bed angrily. He grabbed his Mike Wazowski by its floppy arm, and hurled it across the room. Poor Mike crashed on the closet door with a _"thump!"_ and landed face down on the floor.

"Stoopid, Wazow'ki," the blond boy muttered, crossing his arms over his chest.

He didn't really know why he was mad; he simply had got up on the wrong side of the bed. The little boy knew he'd have to go to school, and he really wanted to watch _Rio_ and he was getting hungry. Figuring the sooner he got dressed, the sooner he could enjoy the animated movie, Henry stripped out of his pajamas. He pulled two different socks out of his blue drawer – his Uncle Spencer had told him it was lucky to always wear mismatched socks – and he reached up to grab the clothes Garcia had laid down for him. Not intending on letting her win all the way, he quickly hid his blue shirt under his bed, and picked his favourite _Spongebob_ yellow t-shirt instead.

"Auntie Pen'lope!" he yelled walking out of his room. "I'm ready!"

Pleased with her nephew's humour change, she got him settled with his breakfast in front of the television, before she finished getting ready for the day.

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"Garcia, we need a list of all licensed breeders in the region. Non-registered would be great as well, if you can manage," Hotch challenged. He had his phone on speaker so everyone could hear the exchange.

"If… If? You, mon ami, just hurt my feelings. I'll let it slide because I'm that forgiving, and it's too early for me to hold a grudge. Didn't even have time to get myself a cup of…"

"Baby girl," Morgan interrupted her babble. "Focus?"

"Right! Sorry my pretties. What kind of breeders are we talking about? I'm assuming this creep isn't using Chihuahuas to…you know…" Garcia couldn't or wouldn't finish her sentence.

"He owns big dogs; at least eighty pounds," Reid chimed in. "Huskies, German Sheppards, Great Danes, Rottweilers, Boxers…"

"Don't owners have to register their pets?" Rossi wondered out loud. "Maybe we could narrow down our list of suspects."

"Somehow I doubt this guy have fulfilled his citizen's duty," Derek scoffed. "He wouldn't risk it, knowing what he uses them for."

"Let me see what I can dig up real quick, and I'll call you right back. Garcia…"

"Garcia wait," JJ finally spoke. She waited for Hotch to hand her his phone so she could talk to her friend in relative privacy. "Hey," she said after a few second. "How was Henry this morning? Everything ok?"

"The little prince didn't want to go to school this morning. The day got off to a rocky start, but in the end everything was good! He was his smiley self when I dropped him off at school."

"Let me guess, he had a 'tummy ache' and wanted to stay home to watch movies?" JJ was no stranger to his son's ruse. He would use it at least once a week, never changing his story. She heard Garcia laughed.

"Your son needs to take acting classes, m'dear."

"Tell me about it," the profiler chuckled. "Well, I'd better get back, Hotch is gonna need his phone. Let us know what you find. Love you."

"Love you too, my blonde beauty," Garcia alleged before severing the connection. She had a lot of work ahead of her. Minimizing all of the extra windows on her screens, she noticed a little red dot circling today's date on the google calendar she shared with JJ.

**6:30PM: Henry's last swim class.**

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At 6:20PM, Garcia parked her car in front of the sport complex. She cut the engine, and pulled the handbrake, taking her key out of the ignition as quickly as she could. This was Henry's last swimming lesson, and she was determined to get him there on time; he would not miss the end of the grade exam. She yanked the seat handle, and the driver seat reclined all the way with a thud, as it hit the steering wheel. A mop of blond hair jumped out of the car, already wearing his swimsuit short, and a towel at the ready. Slinging both her purse and her laptop bag over her shoulder, Garcia grabbed Henry's hand, and together they jogged to the building's entrance.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry, but you cannot park there," the front clerk informed her as she rushed in, her nephew trotting behind. The Tech whirled around, and her look shocked the teen.

"I'm with the FBI, I can park where the hell I want!" she snarled, trying to find her badge in her handbag.

The day had been long. Hotch had been calling her incessantly, asking her to dig this or that, and had bit her head off when her searches had turned up empty. As JJ had told her the previous day, the team was getting on edge, and some of them were taking their frustration out on her.

Henry looked up at her with big eyes, not used to see his aunt this flustered.

"Oh, I'm sorry my little Prince. Auntie Pen is a bit stressed right now," she apologized, ruffling his hair.

"Henry, show her your flipper card so she can stamp it." Garcia had accompanied her godson to his lessons a few times before, so she was accustomed to the procedures. The little boy took his membership card out of his pocket.

"Oh, by the way, talking about FBI business," Penelope started telling the clerk, "I'll need your Wi-Fi password; I know you change it every week. I'll be back as soon as my little man here is in the water," she added feeling a little more like her cheery self.

The girl just stared at her mouth agape, as if tornado Garcia had hit her. The analyst snapped her fingers in front of her face.

"Hello?" She released a frustrated sigh. "Never mind, let's go Henry. You don't want to be late for the beginning of the tests," she said, ushering him toward the stairs.

"But, she didn't…my card," he was getting upset.

"It's okay, baby. Auntie Pen will go back and have it stamp for you. You just go and show them what a marvelous little flipper you are!" Garcia encouraged. "I'll be sitting on the benches upstairs looking at you through the window, alright?"

She walked him to the door that led to the pool. He handed her his swim bag. She – and JJ for that matter – never let him put his things in public lockers like the other kids did. Too many times in their line of work they'd witnessed people's life getting disrupted (to put it mildly) by stolen personal belongings. Granted, Henry was just a child, but they couldn't help being overly careful; it came with the job.

Garcia gave him a quick kiss on the forehead, before guiding him through the door. Then, carrying her million bags, she trudged back up the stairs, and was once again facing the now-terrified looking receptionist.

"Hi, okay, let's do this again. I've never seen you before, so I assume you're new?" Garcia offered the girl her hand, forcing herself to be as friendly as she could be despite her annoyance with the girl. "I'm sorry I lost my marbles earlier. I'm just a little bit on edge right now, and I'm running low on caffeine. My team, we're with the F-B-I, is out there in Montana, chasing a psychopath, and I'm left behind with my best friend's child whom I love very much don't get me wrong. To say I'm overworked would be an understatement, so can I _please_ get the password so I can start working?"

The girl, _Hi, my name is Hannah_ her tag read, shook the blonde's hand, unable to stop staring at Garcia. Her previous scared attitude had turned to utmost admiration.

"Hi, uh…" Hannah nodded, and scribbled a series of letters and numbers on a piece of paper. "We're not supposed to give out the password to patrons, but I guess I can make an exception. I can also stamp Henry's card for you now, if you want?" She offered, smiling politely.

The FBI woman, gave her a curt nod, and slid the green card on the desk.

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The flippers – Henry's group – were all sitting in a row on the shallow side of the Olympic pool. Most of the kids seemed excited, perched on the edge of the pool; they flapped their little feet in the water, trying to splash their friends. Henry was no exception. His friend Sofia from school was in the same level as he was. They always sat side by side, waiting for the class to start. There was a palpable tension in the air that day, the children anxious to see if they'd be able to move on to the next level at the end of the class. The little girl took Henry's hand in hers, and leaned into him.

"I can't wait to be in the big kids' group! I want to be in the Dolphins!" Sofia squealed. "My whole family is here today, even my big brother!" she said, delighted by her audience. "Is your mommy here?"

Henry shook his head wistfully.

"She's away chasing bad guys," he explained.

"Oooh," she nodded knowingly.

Sofia had seen JJ's gun once, when she had picked up Henry from school, and the redhead had asked if she were a police officer. Henry's mom had explained – as best as she could to a five year-old – that she was a profiler.

"So you came here alone?" The little girl was confused. She knew her friend's daddy wasn't there anymore, so if his mommy wasn't here…

"No, I'm here with my Auntie," Henry announced proudly.

"The lady with the purple glasses and the funny things in her hair? She looks so cool!" Sofia was impressed. She came from a very traditional – not to say boring – family, and she had never seen anyone like Garcia before.

"She's my favourite Auntie!" Henry admitted with a smile, looking up at his aunt. On the other side of the glass, Garcia was sitting in the first row of benches, fingers dancing over her keyboard. She would glance over at her nephew every thirty seconds to make sure she wouldn't miss it when his turn came.

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The three swimming instructors jumped into the pool, splashing the children in the process. Once the shrieks died down, they started to inform the kids about how the last lesson would go down.

"First, we're going to do a little warm up!" one of the coaches instructed. "You are all going to get down into the water, but you have to hang onto the edge like we do every week."

The kids happily complied, some squealing in anticipation, others gasping at the cold water.

"Alright, now, you guys need to float on your tummies. Jordan, if you don't listen to us, you will get out of the pool," the second instructor warned the disobeying kid.

"Okay, now everyone kicks their legs as hard as they can! I want to see bubbles, go, go, go!" the third instructor spurred them on.

The kids were flapping their feet as hard as they could. Giggles and screams echoed throughout the natatorium.

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After the warm up, the children got out of the pool and sat back on the edge. Three by three, they got called into the water to demonstrate how well they could handle themselves in water without any help from adults.

"Henry, Sofia and Jordan, you're next!" One of the lifeguards called out. All three kids splashed in the pool in synch, and paddled to one of the coaches.

The first task was to see if they could swim the width of the pool with the aid of a board by kicking their feet only. As soon as they got the go, Henry propelled himself forward. Arms extended, gripping the blue foam, he kicked as hard and as fast as his little legs would allow him. He got on the other side first, shortly followed by Sofia, and then Jordan.

The second exercise, to let the kids catch their breaths, was to go get a toy at the bottom of the pool. Their coaches showed them the item they were to retrieve before dropping them.

This was Henry's favourite game to play in the pool. Since he was able to swim on his own, and even before, Will would always toss sinkable toys and pennies, and he would give his son a push under the water so he could try and grab them.

Enthusiastic about his next test the blond boy flailed his arms about him happily. As he was about to grab his kickboard, his little hand slipped and, his head dunked under the water. Not ready for the plunge, Henry swallowed a mouthful. His swim coach quickly grabbed him, and made sure he was okay.

"Whoa, there buddy! A little too eager, aren't you?" she joked, "You okay?"

The blond boy nodded as he coughed a little. He was more than a little embarrassed about his little accident; especially since Sofia had been there, looking at him. Stealing a glance up to the bleachers, Henry saw his godmother giving him a thumbs up. His face instantly lit up and a grin spread to his eyes. He got this.

"Ready, set, go!" The three kids dove under the water, kicking and flailing their limbs to get to the bottom of the pool. All three children broke the surface, brandishing out the toy as if it were a trophy.

The final evaluation was to make sure they knew how to actually swim without assistance before being sent up a lever. To "graduate" from the Flippers, and move onto the Dolphins or the Seals, the kids needed to do a quarter of a lap by themselves. No specific swimming stroke was demanded of course. Mostly all they knew was the dog paddle anyway.

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"Auntie Pen'lope!" Henry hurried over his godmother when he saw her waiting for him by the pool entrance. He was barefoot, his towel wrapped loosely around his shoulders, leaving a water trail in his wake.

"Did you see me? I did it! I'm not a Flipper anymore! I passed!" he said, waving his little diploma.

"I sure did! You were amazing, baby," Garcia pulled him into a wet hug. "I'm so proud of you! And I bet your mommy will be too when you tell her the good news."

Henry grinned shyly at Garcia's praises.

"How about you get changed so we can get going?" Penelope suggested, producing her nephew's dry clothes from his bag. Do you want me to go in there with you?

The little boy nodded sheepishly. He _was_ a big boy, but he didn't like to be by himself with so many other people he didn't know in the locker room.

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If their morning had started out bad, their evening had been somewhat better. Penelope had been able to pick her nephew up from school a quarter before 5:00PM, which had given them a head start on the program. They had stopped, once again, at JJ's place to get Henry's swimming gear. Then they had gone home to have a light dinner before walking Clooney. The dog, not wanting to go back inside so soon after a whole day locked up in the apartment, had begged – waggling his tail, barking and turning in circles – until the Tech relented and let him and Henry play fetch in the yard for a bit while she made a few work phone calls. After a particular trying call to the most unhelpful customer service represent, Garcia had checked the time, and noticed they were running behind schedule. Summoning Henry and the dog back inside, she had packed her laptop, intending on getting some work done while she'd be waiting for Henry.

Now, her nephew was lying on the couch, using the German Sheppard as a pillow, unwinding from the day's excitements. To Garcia's surprise, he had asked his aunt to put on _Alice in Wonderland_. The Tech wasn't going to complain; it was a nice change from the colourful birds.

As 8:30PM approached, Garcia decided it was time to get Henry ready for bed. She'd been noticing he had been fighting off sleep for the last few minutes. Kneeling in front of the couch, she shook his shoulder gently.

"Hey buddy, let's get you ready for bed, okay? You need to brush your teeth and call mommy." She swiped a blond strand of hair off his eyes tenderly. At the mention of his mama, the little guy perked up. He slowly stretched like a cat, rolled over Clooney and landed on two solid feet.

"Off with his head!" Henry shouted out of the blue, and trotted to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

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A few minutes later, Henry was in bed. He sat with his back to the wall, a pillow supporting him. Clooney entered the room lazily; his head low as if he had just been woken up. Actually, the analyst had shooed him off the couch, and ushered him in his nephew's bedroom where he would once again spend the night. Garcia followed the dog in shortly after.

"Ready to call your mommy, buddy?"

Henry nodded once before trying to rub sleep off his eyes. Garcia's heart melted at the sight; his little Prince Charming would be out like a light in a few minutes.

"Can I see her on the camera again?" He asked trying to stifle a yawn.

"Sure think, baby. Do you want me to call her for you?" Receiving no answer, Garcia took that as a yes, and pressed a few buttons. "There you go, Sugar Puff," she handed him the phone.

Henry took it, and raised his knees to rest the phone on top of them. One hand was holding up the iPhone, and the other instinctively reached out for his stuffed Mike Wazowski; his eyes never leaving the screen. To his surprise, his Uncle Derek came onto the display.

"Hey, baby boy, how are you doing?" Morgan asked in a hushed voice. Henry smiled. He really liked his uncle.

"I'm not a baby!" he exclaimed in a whisper, mirroring Derek's tone. "I'm five now," he let go of his monster, and showed Morgan five dancing fingers.

"I know, buddy, I just like calling you that. Just like I call Auntie Penelope baby girl," Morgan explained with a smile.

"Can I talk to my mama? I have to tell her a good news!"

Derek turned around to see if JJ was still asleep in the interrogation room. The team had gathered in the area to take a well-deserved break and eat. They had been pursuing dead-ends all day, and the stress of it all had left JJ with a killer headache. When Morgan had seen Penelope's name flash across the screen, he had quickly answered the call and left the room to let the blonde profiler rest.

"Sure thing buddy," Derek made his way back to interrogation. "Just hold on a second, mommy is sleeping, I'll wake her up for you."

"Okay," Henry looked up to his godmother. "Mama is asleep, Uncle D is gonna wake her up." Garcia who had heard the entire conversation simply nodded.

"She was in bed before I was!" the blond little boy snickered.

"Hey! I heard that," came JJ's sleepy voice…and face on screen.

"Mama!"

"Hey buddy, how are you? Have you been a good boy to your aunt?"

"Yeah," he said, and abruptly changing the subject, added, "Mama, I am not a Flipper anymore! I did it! Me, Sofia and all of my friends are Dolphins now!" the little boy was undoubtedly ecstatic.

"Oh wow! That's wonderful, baby! Mommy is so proud of you! I wish I could've been there," JJ admitted, regret clear her voice.

That's when Garcia chimed in, "Oh, Jayj. You know I would never let you miss out on anything. I have it all on video!"

The profiler smiled when she saw her friend's face filling her screen.

"Thanks, PG, you are the absolute best," JJ declared, her eyes shining with gratitude.

"Oh, don't I know it!" Garcia joked. "Well Henry, why don't you say goodnight to mommy so you both can go to bed, uh?" The Tech blew a kiss to her best friend before disappearing from the screen, leaving the mother and son to their goodbyes.

" 'Night, mama, I love you," Henry said, fighting to keep his eyes open.

"Good night, baby. Be good, I love you," JJ said. Imitating Garcia's action, she blew a kiss to her little boy before disconnecting the call. Usually the profiler would have stayed on the line, and chat with her friend for a few minutes, but tonight she was just too exhausted, and they still had work to do.

By the time Garcia got her phone back, her godson was already fast asleep in an awkward sitting position. She helped him lie down, and without waking up, he snuggled with his plushy, burying his face in his pillow. Clooney, from the foot of the bed, released a tired sigh before succumbing to sleep.

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After making sure that the apartment was locked up, the alarm on and that Henry was sound asleep, the computer genius ran herself a hot bubble bath. She slid in, enjoying the soothing warmth of the water. She threw her head back, resting it against the edge of the tub. Garcia gave herself a few minutes of peace and quiet before she reached out for her phone.

First, she sent JJ the video of her son, hoping it would cheer her up.

**Here's the video of your little fish! Take care of yourself, Jayje. I love you, PG xx**

She sent a reply to Morgan's text asking how Clooney was.

**Oh my Chocolate Thunder, you know how good of a mama I am! Clooney's being his adorable self. All is good in D.C. Come back soon (and safe), my love xxx **

Garcia hit the twitter app, and scrolled down for a few seconds before getting bored. She checked her work emails, quickly scanning the new arrivals to see if any of those required her immediate attention. Satisfied that they could all wait until the next day, she put down her phone on the floor, and let herself finally relax.

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**AN:** So here's day 2! I hope you liked it. The next two chapters will be more fun/easier for me to write I think as Jack will also be there. I think it's a shame we don't see Henry and Jack interact in the show. Thoughts?

As usual, reviews tend to make me write faster, so it would really help if you could just take a few seconds to leave me a few words. It's just really nice to know I'm not writing this story only for myself.


	3. Thursday

**AN**: Hey guys! I'm rather disappointed in myself. I wanted to have this chapter up by the middle of last week, but I don't know what happened. I guess this chapter is pretty long though, and this makes up for it. Now, I start work full time again next week, so the next (and final) chapter of this story is probably going to take a while. I am giving myself two weeks two write it though, so I should be good.

That being said, if you want to read anything in particular after this one, just let me know! I would really like some requests! If you are too shy, feel free to request as 'anonymous'. I have a few stories planned out, but I'm not too sure what I feel like writing next just yet, so request away :)

As usual, it hasn't been beta-ed so all mistakes are mine, and mine only!

Also, I realised that I haven't even mentioned Blake in this story as a profiler, but I said that Emily was gone (which fucking ripped my heart out). It's not because I don't like Alex, because I do, I have no problem with her as a character. I guess I just subconsciously didn't include her as part of the family...

**Disclaimers**: I do not own _Criminal Minds_ or its characters. This is for entertainment purposes only, and I am not receiving any kind of compensations.

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Henry woke up early – very early – the next morning. Maybe it had been the low rumble of water running through pipes, the soft whines emanating from Clooney or the rustle of the sheets when the dog scratched his ear in his slumber, but the little boy had been jostled awake, and he couldn't get back to sleep.

His little heartbeat had gone up a notch at first; disoriented with sleep, it took him a few seconds to remember where he was. Sensing that the boy was awake, Clooney had crawled up to him, and Henry had stroked his head drowsily, lulling himself and the dog back to a light sleep.

Not too long after though, Henry had woken up again, this time in need of a little trip to the bathroom. Grabbing his Mike Wazowski by its floppy arm, the little boy slipped out of bed, and made his way to the bathroom across the hall, grateful that his Auntie Pen always left the light on.

As he was retracing his steps to his bedroom, Henry suddenly missed his mommy, and his house a lot. He didn't feel like going back in his bed, alone in the dark.

The little boy walked past his own door, and stood in the doorway of the third, silent tears trickling down his face. It took him a few moments before deciding to go forth, and he quietly padded in, his footsteps muffled by the carpeted floor. Henry stopped when he reached the side of the bed.

Feeling a presence in her sleep, Garcia woke up with a start.

"Henry, are you okay, sweetie?" Penelope asked, reaching an arm out of under the covers to brush a strand of fine blond hair off his eyes.

"I miss mama," the blond boy sniffled, hiding his face behind his favourite green monster.

"Aw, baby. It's okay to miss your mommy. She will be back as soon as she can, you know she loves you too much not to," Garcia tried to reassure her godson, wiping his tears away. She felt around her pillow, trying to locate her iPhone. Pushing the home screen, she handed it to Henry.

"Why don't you tell me what time it is, sweetie," Garcia could barely keep her eyes open, and she couldn't have made out the numbers anyway.

"4, 2, 7," Henry told her. Garcia groaned inwardly; she definitely needed more sleep.

"Can I watch TV? I'm not tired no more."

"It's too early to get up, Sugarplum," the analyst moved back in bed, and pulled the sheets up. "Come on, climb in here," she patted the mattress sleepily.

Happy he wouldn't have to go back to his room by himself, Henry clambered into her bed. Instants later, he had burrowed himself under the covers, his face buried in his godmother's neck. Garcia draped a protective arm over his tiny body, and closed her eyes. As she was drifting off, she heard the clinking of medals getting closer and closer. Looking up, she met sad brown pleading eyes.

"Alright Clooney, just this once. Get in," Penelope whispered, inviting the German Sheppard in her bed. Seconds later, the trio was fast asleep.

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A few hours later, Garcia was awakened by a shrilling sound coming from under her pillow. Trying to get a hand on the offending device, she felt the child next to her shift in his sleep. Henry unconsciously waggled himself under the covers, farther from the annoying sound of Garcia's morning alarm without waking up. This kid could probably sleep through a zombie apocalypse, the Tech was sure of it.

Finally shutting off her phone, Garcia received a death glare from Clooney who was obviously displeased with this irritatingly early wake up call.

"Oh, don't look at me like that," Penelope murmured, frowning at the dog. "I'm not happy about it either."

Careful not to wake her godson, Garcia ran a hand over her face tiredly and got out of bed. She gathered a few things before aiming for the adjacent bathroom. The woman started to get ready, hoping she could get as much done before Henry woke up. That way, she would only have to focus her energy on him and he'd get to sleep a little bit longer. She really wished the little guy would be in a better mood than he had been the previous morning. Penelope was a loving, patient and caring aunt, but there was so much she could handle before her first dose of caffeine two mornings in a row.

About twenty minutes later, once she was dressed and had done her hair and make-up, Garcia exited the bathroom. Walking back into her room, she was surprised to find it empty; no kid, no dog. She walked closer to her bedroom door to see if she could hear if the TV was on in the living room, but her apartment was suspiciously quiet. The FBI analyst discarded her things on the bed, and hurried to see what her nephew was up to.

Peering in his room, she noticed his pajamas and his stuffed Mike Wazowski scattered on the floor, but Henry definitely wasn't there. He wasn't in the bathroom either, and the living room was empty and dark. That left the kitchen.

Entering the last room in her apartment, Garcia had to do a double take. Henry was sitting at the table, dressed for school, seeming pretty happy to be eating a ginormous bowl of _Froot Loops_. He had also decided to feed Clooney who had probably begged him to. The dog's bowl was overflowing and the German Sheppard wasn't complaining, chomping sloppily on the extra pellets. She had never seen her nephew this upbeat this early.

"Goo' morning, Auntie Pen'lope. I made you a surprise!" Henry said with his mouth full dropping his spoon in his bowl with a clatter not knowing what to make out of the shocked expression her aunt was bearing. "Are you mad?"

"Good morning, my little prince," Garcia recovered promptly. "And no, not at all! That is a wonderful surprise, Henry! It's really the best gift you could have given me this morning," his godmother thanked him honestly. She hugged him to her chest and ruffled his hair.

"That gives me time to brew a pot of coffee," she breathed out more to herself than anything else as she made her way to the kitchen counter. She smiled, and threw her head back thanking whoever was up there for this morning reprieve.

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Back in Montana, the team caught - sort of - a break overnight. Hotch got a phone call literally at the break of dawn from the chief of the local police alerting him of another murder. The victim, a young jogger, had fought back against the feral dog, and had succeeded in yanking some of the dog's fur. The M.E. had found some hairs clutched in her fisted hand. Based on the colour of the fur, they could narrow down the search some more.

Garcia had barely had time to set down her coffee mug and "waking up" her computer screens before her phone office went off. Swivelling in her chair, the analyst hit the speaker button with one of her fluffy and very pink pen.

"Oracle of Quantico, how may I be of assistance to you on this bright and sunny morning? Speak now and be heard," she chirped with her usual extravagance.

"It's actually quite grey...and cold here," Reid answered automatically correcting her.

"Garcia have you had time to go over the files I sent about ten minutes ago?" Hotch asked her, blatantly ignoring Reid's comment.

"I'm really sorry bossman, I just got to the office. If you give me five minutes, I can get back to y..."

"That won't be necessary," the unit chief cut her off. "Another woman has been killed over night. They found her body early this morning in Lone Pine state park. The medical examiner was able to determine she was attacked by a Husky, or a similar breed," Hotch debriefed her quickly with his unwavering voice.

"It could also be a mix of breeds..." Morgan interjected.

"Hey, guys, where's my little blonde sunshine?" Garcia suddenly asked worriedly, realizing she hadn't heard the woman profiler.

"Um..." Reid mumbled awkwardly, and then nobody spoke for a few moments, unintentionally fuelling Garcia's panic.

"Derek Morgan, you better tell me my Goldilocks is okay or I swear to God I will be on the next flight to Montana and I will hurt you all so bad, you wish you were all dead!" She shrilled in hysterics.

"Whoa, calm down, woman," Morgan tried to soothe.

"Garcia," Hotch raised his voice, hoping to get her attention, "JJ is fine, I sent her back to the precinct with Rossi..."

"Oh...okay," Penelope calmed down some, but sensing she wasn't getting the whole story she pushed, "Reid, if you don't tell me why my blonde Beauty isn't around right now, I'm going to hack into your bank account, and you'll have to sell your entire collection of Doctor Who collectibles to be able to afford your rent this month," the blonde Tech threatened the boy genius.

Uncomfortable by the knowledge that Garcia could and would act on her menace, Reid gulped loudly enough to be heard over the phone. He decided that his bank account was more precious than keeping this a secret. It wasn't even anything to be secretive about, JJ would surely understand.

"REID?!"

"Okay, okay," the genius squeaked. "She had to go back because she wasn't handling being around all those dogs very well, is all. She was fine when it was just the Police Dogs, but..."

"She wasn't fine, man," Derek interrupted.

"Oh! My poor little pumpkin," Garcia exclaimed, tears in her voice.

Morgan beat himself up internally when he realized he probably had made things worse. He couldn't help himself though. He was feeling overprotective of JJ, she was like a sister to him, and it had angered him when the team had been either oblivious or just plainly ignored the woman's apparent distress as the first dog got to the crime scene.

"We really don't have time for this," their boss started. "JJ will be fine. Now, Garcia, I need you to narrow down your search to owners of Huskies. Pure breed or not. Look for incidents in the area involving that breed of dog, maybe someone reported something."

"Well, shouldn't be too hard, uh? How many Huskies and their cousins can there be in all of Montana?" the Tech replied sarcastically, still sour that her team hadn't deemed it important to let her know what was going on with her best friend. The best friend of whose child she was babysitting. If something had happened to JJ, she didn't know how she could tell Henry.

"Well, actually..." Reid started, not picking up on her sarcasm.

"Cut it out, kid," Morgan ordered bewilderment obvious in his voice.

The two of them started to bicker like two children in the background, as Hotch informed Garcia about the kind of complaints she should be looking for when the second line of her phone started to ring. Looking up at her screen to check the caller ID, she saw "Jessica Brooks" flashing.

"Um, sir," the analyst interrupted. "I will need to call you back in a minute. Uh, Strauss, she's calling me," Garcia lied through her teeth, not wanting to alarm her boss. She hung up before he got time to answer.

Hitting the "answer" button again, she slipped into her professional self, "Penelope Garcia, technical analyst for the BAU, how may I help you?"

"Hi, this is Jessica, Aaron Hotchner's sister-in-law? I'm calling because, well, I have sort of a problem, and Aaron told me if I ever needed anything - help with Jack - I could trust you." Jack's aunt said, her voice betraying the nervousness she was trying to hide.

"Hi Jessica! I would be happy to help any way I can, just tell me what you need," Garcia reassured her.

"Well, I usually never get the night shift at work; my boss knows I have to care for Jack when Aaron isn't around, but we've got two nurses down with the flu – in the summer, can you believe it? - and another just called in saying her flight wouldn't land on time, and so I'm the only one left to work tonight. I was wondering if you could take Jack tonight? I know Henry is with you, and if that's too much I understand, I'll find someone else..." Jessica was clearly flustered, and Garcia knew she didn't have anyone else to ask.

"I would be my pleasure to babysit Jack tonight. He and Henry will have a little sleepover, and they'll have a blast," Garcia promised. She was actually really happy to be able to spend some time with her little Jack-Jack.

"Really? Gosh, that is such a relief," Jessica breathed out. "I can pick him up from school this afternoon. Would that be okay if we met at the park? Jack has a soccer practice at 6:30, and I could bring his stuff. I will have to leave shortly after I get there though. I start at 7PM."

"That sounds like a plan," Garcia concurred. "Henry and I will be there. How about we meet at 6:15? That way we'll have some time to chat a bit, and you won't be late for work."

"Perfect! God, thank you so much, Penelope. I really don't know what I would have done," Jessica admitted.

"It's really no problem, hun. Is it the same park as usual?"

"Yes, the one where we met last time. I'll call Aaron to let him know about our arrangement. Oh! One last thing. Jack doesn't have school on Friday. Since I'm off at 6AM, I can pick him up outside of the Federal Building at whatever time you start," Jessica told her.

"Alright, we'll figure things out, don't worry. Have a good day, Jess. See you tonight."

"Thanks, you too. Bye."

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"Bye, Sofia," Henry waved at his friend. "See you tomorrow!"

"I won't see you tomorrow, silly!" the little redhead girl laughed. "We don't have school!"

"Oh, right!" Henry said, smacking his forehead in a 'how could I forget' kind of way. Turning to his aunt he said, "Auntie Pen'lope! I have no school tomorrow! I can stay up late and watch all the movies on _Neetflix_!"

This was definitely a surprise to Garcia. JJ hadn't told her Henry school's was closed that Friday. The profiler had probably forgotten; the team had left in a hurry. Not really sure what she would do with her godson the next day she told herself panicking wouldn't get her anywhere. Worst case scenario, she would have to bring him to work with her. No, worst case scenario would be Henry stuck with that old witch Mrs. Andersen. The little guy would have to go to work with her; he would probably be an angel and watch movies all day. He really wasn't a difficult child.

"Yeah, I heard, buddy! And you know what's even cooler than a day off?" Garcia asked, quirking her eyebrows.

"What?" Henry responded nervously, thinking his godmother had a special surprise for him.

"Jack is coming over tonight, and you boys are gonna have a sleepover!"

"For realzies?" Henry inquired, not sure he had heard right. Jack was his favourite 'cousin'. Jack Hotchner was the coolest person in the whole universe, after his aunt Penelope, of course.

Garcia laughed, "Yes, for real, silly! Jessica called me, and she asked if Jack could sleep over tonight," she tugged his hand for him to follow her to the car.

"And you said yes!" Henry exclaimed, picking up his lunchbox, trailing after her. "You are the coolest aunt ever! Jack is so cool!"

"That's a lot of cool's in one sentence," the Tech teased him. "We're gonna pick him up at the park later. He has a soccer practice tonight."

"Are we gonn' watch him practice?" he asked hopeful.

"Of course! We'll even bring Clooney so you both can stretch your legs," Garcia said looking down at the boy. His bright blue eyes were shining in delight.

"Coooooool!"

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From the moment they had sat in the car, Garcia started asking herself if she shouldn't have waited to tell Henry about Jack sleeping over. The little boy had been restless, and he wouldn't quit chatting about how cool Jack was, and asking when they were going to leave for the park.

Between answering his questions and demanding repeatedly that he quiet down, Garcia had barely been able to get on the remaining work she had left to do. Hotch and Morgan had been bombarding her with text messages – knowing she was with Henry – and she wanted nothing more than to snap her fingers and instantly get some peace in quiet. Alas, she wasn't a _true_ fairy godmother.

Promising Henry they would stop to get McFlurries on their way back home if he didn't disturb her for the next forty-five minutes, her godson plopped down in front of the TV and not a word escaped his lips, except to sing along to the movie songs.

The technical analyst was finally able to download and send to the team the list of dog incidents that had been reported in the past two years, along with a list of those owners who had a criminal record. Her work done, she pretended she was still working, hoping Henry wouldn't noticed she had laid back on her chair and was doing things on her phone. She had, after all, twelve minutes left to herself; they had a deal.

She texted her boss first, informing him that she had sent the requested documents and that if he needed something else all he had to do was text or call her.

Garcia then decided to tell JJ that Henry was okay, that he had a good day at school, and that he didn't have school the next day, but not to worry, she had everything under control. There was no reason to stress her more than the blonde profiler already was.

Once those messages were taken care of, she decided to log onto her social media apps and see what the world was up to. Not even a minute later, her phone buzzed.

**Thank you, Garcia. I'll let you know if we need anything else. Jessica told me Jack will be spending the night with you. Can you have him call me before bed? Thank you**

She was going to reply when her phone started ringing. Seeing it was JJ calling, she answered right away.

"Hey, sweet pea, how are you?" Garcia greeted warmly, remembering her friend was having a particularly tough time on this case.

"OH MY GOD, Pen! I totally forgot Henry didn't have school on Friday this week, I am so so sorry. I don't know how I could have forgotten," JJ blurted out as soon as she heard her friend on the line.

Henry turned toward his godmother, eyebrows raised in question. He definitely had heard his mommy on the phone, but he didn't know what was going on.

"Hold on," the Tech said putting her hand over the phone to block out JJ's cries.

Garcia gave him a reassuring smile, and motioned for him to go back to his movie. She then got up, and walked to her bedroom to make sure she wouldn't upset Henry. Once assured that he wasn't following her, she closed the door and sat on the bed.

"Okay, sorry. Listen, Jayje, you have nothing to be sorry for, I'm just going to bring him to work, and sit him in front of a screen. He'll watch movies and play games. It's really not a big deal, sweetie."

"It is a big deal!" JJ refuted. "First I forget about his last swim lesson, and then I forget about this. Will never would have forgotten…"

Garcia could tell that her friend was getting herself worked up. She felt her heart break at JJ's confession, wishing she could be there to hold her in her arms.

"Jay, baby. Don't do this to yourself. You are a wonderful mother, and Henry is lucky to have you. I know you are trying to control everything, but nobody is perfect, honey. That's why we're all here to help: me, the team, we love you. I've heard from the guys you've been having a bit of a hard time with this case…"

JJ snorted, "A bit? I can't even be in the field without freaking out. Dogs are barking everywhere…" she trailed off, not wanting to admit how bad it really was.

"It's okay if you need to come home, nobody would blame you. Don't run yourself down, sunshine."

"What? No! I'm not abandoning them here. I can do this. I can help from the station. I am not leaving!" the profiler said indignantly through her tears.

"Alright, alright," Penelope surrendered. "You know me. I'm just being my overprotective self. Well, I got to go, Jessica called and she needs me to babysit Jack too. Don't worry about Henry okay? I've got everything under control here. I love you, Jayje."

"Okay, thank you so much, Pen. I really don't know how I'd do it without you," JJ said choking back a sob. "I love you, bye."

As soon as she hung up the phone, she sent a text to Morgan.

**Take care of my Princess, or else… Also, give her a big hug from me and Henry. PG xx **

Garcia pocketed her iPhone trusting that her G-man wouldn't let her down, and walked back to the living room where Henry was still watching his movie.

"Well buddy, it's time to go!" Penelope announced cheerfully.

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As they turned into the soccer field's parking lot, Henry spotted Jack and his aunt waiting by a red Toyota.

"There!" Henry shouted, pulling against the straps of his car seat. "Do you see them, Auntie Pen? Right there! By the red car!"

"I see them, babycakes. No need to scream in my ears," she said with amusement in her voice.

Garcia pulled into the parking space right next to Jessica's car, and as soon as she switched the gear to park, Henry was out of his seat, waiting anxiously for the woman to get out of the car so he could go and talk to Jack.

Once Garcia got out, she barely got the time to turn around that a whirlwind of blond hair leapt out of the vehicle, and ran to the other boy. Clooney was sitting patiently in the backseat, waiting to be told to exit the car.

"Hey, Jack!"

"Hey, Henry," the other blond boy grinned. "It's so cool that we get to both sleep over at Auntie Pen, right? And at the same time!"

Much to Henry's delight, Jack sounded just as excited as he was.

"Yes! Very cool! We're gonna have so much fun together!" Henry squealed, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Garcia walked to the group, leading Clooney on his leash.

"Clooney!" Jack cried when he saw Derek's dog. He knelt down in front of him, and started ruffling his ears. Penelope handed him the leash, and he didn't have to be offered twice. He seized it proudly.

"Hey, Jessica, how are you?" Garcia asked, leaning forward to kiss Aaron's sister-in-law on both cheeks.

"I'm good, a bit tired to be honest, I wasn't expecting having to work tonight. Thank you so much for watching Jack," Jessica replied, heading toward the back of her car. She popped the trunk open, and got a duffel bag and a pillow out.

"Don't mention it," Garcia brushed off her thanks. "The boys are going to have a great time together. They've barely seen each other since…since Henry's father passed away," she finished just above a whisper.

Jessica nodded sadly, handing Jack's things over to her. The analyst took hold of both the bag and pillow, and walked back to her car to drop them in.

"So, Jack's practice is about an hour long. I'll go over and tell the assistant coach you'll be the one bringing back Jack when it's over. He's got all his soccer gear in his sport bag, he always forgets his water bottle, so if you could remind him after he's done," she said, pointing at the bag her nephew was carrying on his shoulder. "He's got all he needs in his duffel for the night. Is it okay if I text you in the morning, and we can make arrangements for me to pick him up?"

"Sure, Henry doesn't have school either, so I'll bring them both to the office, and you can pick him up whenever you can. It's really no problem, Jess," Garcia assured her.

"Okay well, I'm going to tell Dan you're taking Jack home tonight, and then I'm going to go to work," she pointed toward the field. "Alright Jack, you listen to your auntie and you behave yourself," Jessica warned her nephew before kissing the top of his head.

Jack nodded, and hugged her.

"Bye, Jessie," he waved at her. "Auntie Pen, can we go play with Clooney over there?" Jack asked expectantly. "My practice doesn't start now."

"Only for a few minutes, you have to be on the field in ten minutes," she allowed. "Don't go too far, I'll be there in a second."

The minute she said yes, both boys started running, the dog galloping along. Garcia turned to Jessica who was smiling at the sight of those two happy little youngsters.

"Aren't they adorable?" Penelope marvelled aloud.

"Totally," she agreed. "Pretty sure you have Aaron's number if something comes up," Jessica joked. "Like I said I'll text you in the morning. Thanks again, Penelope, you really are a life saver."

The women hugged and kissed before parting in different directions.

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Jack's practice was half way through. Henry had spent a good twenty minutes running after Clooney behind the bleachers, throwing sticks and his tennis ball around. The dog had eventually decided he was done jogging around, and went to lie down at Garcia's feet, panting. A bit out of breath himself, Henry sat down next to his godmother, resting his head on her arm.

"Daddy said I would play soccer this summer," he stated out of the blue, his gaze following the boys kicking their soccer balls around small orange cones.

At the mention of his dad, Garcia held her breath. Conversations about Will with Henry could go two ways. Either they ended with him being inconsolable and frustrated because he couldn't grasp the concept of death fully, or he would just drop Will's name once, and then move on. Fortunately for both party involved, it was most often the latter.

"Did he?" She asked, keeping her tone neutral. She risked a glance down to study his facial expression. He didn't seem sad, just pensive. He simply nodded in affirmative; it had only been a fleeting thought.

"I think Jack is really good! Do you?" he questioned Penelope.

"He definitely is!" She replied, happy to see he had dropped the subject of Will. Not that she wasn't comfortable discussing his death with her godson, but she didn't really feel like having this kind of talk in public.

They spent the rest of the practice watching in relative silence. Henry would comment on Jack's abilities now and then, and Garcia would agree with him. Clooney dozed on the grass, his ears perking every time a whistle was blown.

By the time Jack's training was over, Henry had grown restless, shifting on the bench from right to left, back and forth. Garcia thought nothing of it, knowing how energetic her godson could be. When the little blond saw his older friend running towards them, he jumped to his feet, almost stepping on Clooney's tail.

"Jack!" Henry cried. When both boys were close enough, Henry leaned forward to whisper surreptitiously, "you were so the best out there!"

The older boy smiled, "Thanks, Henry!" Jack then look around to make sure nobody else could hear him before he confessed, "that's because my dad is the coach and we play all the time in the backward!"

"Whoa! Agent Hotch'er is the coach?" Henry was definitely impressed. Jack nodded proudly. "My mama used to be a soccer player," the younger boy shared. "We play in the yard too, and she's the best!"

Garcia witnessed the exchange between her nephews with a smile on her face. They were so cute! Two innocent little boys who had been through so much in their short life, and yet they still had retained this child naïveté.

"Well boys, how about we head home, put on our pjs and watch movies?" Penelope proposed. Henry's head shot up, mouth open.

"But...but you said we'd get McFlurries!" Henry turned to Jack, "she promised. You like ice cream?" The young Hotchner nodded, a smile crept on his face at the allusion of a delicious frosty treat.

Penelope laughed, ruffling both boys' hair. "I don't know a kid who doesn't like ice-cream, sweet pea! And of course I remember, we're going to stop at the drive-thru on the way home. You can eat them as we watch the movie. Does that sound good?"

The kids screamed 'yes' in unison, and they all headed back to the car.

"Jack, did you bring back your water bottle?" Garcia asked, remembering Jessica's warning. The boy shook his head in affirmative as he kept on skipping, Henry and Clooney at his side.

The FBI analyst loaded Jack's soccer bag and gear on the passenger seat, before walking around the car to the driver's door. Clooney was first to get in, then Jack. When it was Henry's turn, the little boy just stood there, jumping from foot to foot. Seeing that he wasn't getting in, Garcia turned around to see what was going on.

"Aren't you getting in, buddy?"

Henry folded himself in two, hands between his legs. "Auntie Pen'lope, I really really have to pee. Right now, I can't hold it in," he blurted out, panic stretching across his features. There was no way he was gonna pee his pants, especially not in front of Jack. That would be the ultimate embarrassment, even worse than having to sit in a baby car seat.

Garcia looked around, trying to find a bathroom; he might just have to go behind a bush.

"They have port-a-potties in the back of the field," Jack told them from the car. "But they are gross!"

Neither Henry, nor Garcia looked enthralled by the prospect of visiting the blue toilets. The little boy was close to tears, he _really_ needed to go.

"Would you rather go in the trees, Henry?" Penelope asked. Henry looked around; the park was full. Joggers, dog walkers, kids running around, he couldn't do his business in front of all those people. He shook his head, and started walking stiffly towards the soccer field.

Garcia motioned for Jack to get out of the car, and cracked a window open for Clooney, telling the dog they'd be right back. Jack jogged to Henry who was whimpering in discomfort, and encouraged him, telling him they were almost there, just to hold it for a few more minutes. Half way across the field, Henry couldn't walk anymore, and his godmother picked him up.

They made it to the toilet just in time, Henry jumped to the ground and flew in the first stall, not caring if it smelled horrible or that the door wasn't locked.

A few seconds later, he came out, his nose scrunched in repulsion.

"Someone did...a number two in there. On the seat!" He exclaimed, outraged. Thankfully, he only had to use the urinal, away from the actual toilet.

"Gross!" Jack concurred, clearly disgusted by Henry's account.

Garcia rummaged through her purse, looking for some hand sanitizer. When she found the small bottle of Purell, she dropped a generous amount in her godson's hands. Henry rubbed his tiny hands together, some of the soap seeping through his fingers and onto the gravel.

"Okay, we can go get our McFlurry now," Henry declared happily, clapping his hands together once.

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Back at Garcia's apartment, the boys quickly changed into their pyjamas. As soon as they'd got home, they'd raced to Henry's room, excited to get ready for their movie night - they also really wanted to eat their ice creams.

They both hastily undressed, too young to care or be self-conscious about their nakedness. Henry picked up his pjs off the floor where he had discarded them that same morning, while Jack dug in his duffel bag, looking for his Buzz Lightyear pyjamas. Rushing back to the living room, the blond boys, flopped on the couch where Clooney was attempting to nap.

"Auntie Pen?" Jack called, "We're ready!"

"Coming in a second, my sweets! You boys decide what you want to watch," Garcia announced.

Henry and Jack stared at each other, both wanting to watch something different.

"_Rio_!"

"_Toys Story_!"

Henry squirmed in his seat in frustration. Jack frowned slightly, a perfect imitation of his father's 'I'm the boss' face. Penelope chose that moment to enter her living room, carrying the tray of Oreos McFlurries. The tension between the children was palpable; she needed to act and fast before they both started to kick and scream.

She handed them both their frozen treats, and then turned on the TV.

"Henry, you watched that movie yesterday, and the day before," Garcia reminded him patiently. Then, facing Jack she added, "And we watched _Toys Story_ last time you came over. How about I pick something for once, uh?"

Henry wasn't pleased, and neither was Jack. They looked at her, visibly sulking. Not bothered by the looks they were giving her, Garcia went over her entertainment center, and looked through her family movies collection, finally deciding on _Bug's Life_. When she presented her choice to the boys, they both seemed curious by it, but too proud to relent that easily. They looked at each other, trying to decide if they were going to put up a fight or not.

"I guess," Jack said, shrugging. He had never seen it before, and it did look fun based on the cover.

Henry didn't even bother to answer, and dug in his ice cream. He had hoped Jack would agree to watch it because he was dying to see it. Of course, he wasn't about to tell his aunt just that.

Satisfied with their responses, the Tech slid the disc in the player, and the children got comfortable, ready to watch the Pixar animation, while she got her phone and laptop out, intending on doing some work and helping her team out.

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An hour and a half later, the credits rolled and the boys stretched on the couch. Their McFlurries cups had been abandoned on the coffee table, the remaining ice cream had long melted. Garcia hit 'stop' on the remote, set her computer aside, and got up to clear the table. As she leaned forward to pick up the trash, she caught a glance at the clock: 9:45PM.

"You munchkins should call your mommy and daddy now," Penelope told them as she exited the room. "It's getting late. They'll wonder if you've forgotten about them!" The analyst was only kidding of course. She had been texting back and forth with JJ and Hotch throughout the movie, mostly about the case, but the parents had eventually sneaked in a question or two about their children.

"But I only call mama before I go to bed," Henry protested. "I'm not ready to go to sleep! You said we could watch two movies, Auntie Pen'lope!" The younger boy was not intending on being cheated out of a movie. He followed his godmother into the kitchen resolute to get a positive answer. Jack stayed behind, browsing through the DVD collection.

"I know, sweet cheeks, but mommy is going to go to bed soon, and then you will be sad you won't have talked to her." This was technically a white lie. Garcia knew the team was following up on some leads, and they weren't going to bed anytime soon, and neither was she; her boss had been pretty clear on that. She was needed.

Henry agreed to call his mom, but only if she promised once more that he and Jack would be allowed to watch another film. They walked back to the living room together.

"Why don't you boys call your parents while I blow up Jack's bed for the night, and then you can watch the next movie in bed? Like a real slumber party?" Garcia suggested, knowing very well that they would both fall asleep within minutes of the next film starting.

The blonds seemed happy with the idea, excited to be able to stay up late and watch a movie in bed. Neither Hotch nor JJ allowed them to watch TV in bed, unless they were sick. That was one of the perks of spending time with their fun Auntie Penelope.

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Jack was the first one calling his daddy. Garcia unlocked her phone screen; hit a few buttons before handing him her iPhone.

"Garcia, have you found anything on Jesford?" Hotch said as soon as he answered the call.

"Daddy, it's me, Jack!"

"Oh, sorry, buddy. I thought it was your aunt Penelope. How are you, did you have a good day?" Hotch asked his son, is voice softening.

"Yeah! It was the last day of school today so we got to play board games all afternoon! And then Aunt Jessie picked me up, and we went out to eat. And then I had soccer practice and guess what?" Jack asked him.

"What?" the unit chief questioned back.

"Henry was there with Auntie Pen, and now we're having a _real_ slumber party! She said we can watch a movie. In Henry's room!"

Hotch laughed, "Well, that sounds like a very fun day, buddy! I'm glad you are having a good time."

"Are you coming home soon, daddy? Have you caught the bad guy yet?"

"No, not yet, but we're doing our best to come back real soon."

"Okay. I love you, daddy," Jack said sweetly.

"I love you too, buddy. Is Henry there? Agent Jareau would love to talk to him."

"Yeah, bye daddy." The younger Hotchner passed the phone to Henry. "Your mommy wants to talk to you."

Henry put the phone to his ear, "Hi mommy! Jack is sleeping over tonight, we gonn' sleep in the same room, Auntie Pen'lope is making his bed, and then you know what?" the little boy quizzed, but didn't wait for an answer, "We're gonna watch something in bed! Auntie Pen'lope said we are allowed to watch two movies, and we can watch the last one in the room!"

"That sounds like a really awesome night!" JJ was finally able to reply.

"Yeah! It's like a real…" Henry turned to Jack. "What's the word again?" He asked the older boy.

"Slumber party," Jack retorted. He'd gone back to the stacks of movies, browsing for something new.

"It's like a real _slummer_ party, mama!" Henry squealed proudly.

"Aw! I bet you guys are having so much fun!" the profiler predicted. "Mommy wishes she was there," JJ confessed.

"It's okay," Henry said comfortingly. "We can have a party too when you catch the monsters!"

"I'd like that very much, baby. Mommy gotta go now, uncle Spence is waiting for me. Be nice to your Auntie Pen, alright? I love you so, so much Henry."

"Okay, I love you too! Goodnight!"

"Goodnight, baby star. Tell your auntie I love her and I'll call her later, okay? Bye, baby." JJ told him before hanging up the phone.

"Bye!" the little boy then put the phone down on the table, and shouted throughout the apartment, "Auntie Pen'lopeeeeeee! Mama says she loves you and she'll call you later!"

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A little over twenty minutes later, Garcia had both kids settled into bed, ready to watch their second movie. Clooney hadn't known on which bed to lay down at first, clearly conflicted by having to choose who to protect for the night. In the end, he had opted for the floor, that way he could keep an eye on both children. Jack had decided on _The Fox and the Hound_, and Henry hadn't complained about the choice. The movie was an old Disney classic, and the children had never seen it before. Garcia was particularly grateful for the lack of arguments. If she were being honest, she had anticipated another fight for the selection of their second watch since it was getting pretty late, and both boys had had full tiring days.

After popping the disc in the PS3 console the Tech had hooked up to the TV, she tucked them both in, and disguised their goodnight kiss with a 'enjoy the movie' smooch.

"Aren't you going to watch the movie with us?" Jack demanded curiosity tainting his voice, as she exited the room.

Henry, who had also assumed she'd be joining them, looked in her way, confusion reflecting in his clear blue eyes.

"Auntie Pen has a lot of work to do, so your mommy and daddy can come home," she explained, her heart squeezing at the disappointment visible on their faces. The blond boys seemed to be satisfied with her answer though, and their attention went back to the screen. They were, after all, used to grown-ups being absent because of their work. Garcia left the room, closing the door behind her a little regretfully.

The children were silent, absorbed in the story for a while. Both of them were cuddling with their stuffed animals, their bodies slouching further and further into their pillows. As Henry was drifting off to sleep, a thought hit him.

"Hey, Jack?"

"Um?" the older boy mumbled, his eyes never leaving the screen.

"Do you…you ever miss your daddy?" He whispered, his voice wavering slightly. Jack looked up at the younger boy from his makeshift bed on the floor.

"Yeah, sometimes. When they go away for a long time," he confessed. "You?"

"I don't have a daddy no more," Henry responded quickly. The younger blond was a bit taken aback by his Jack's revelation. Even big boys missed their mommies?

"No but I mean your mommy, agent Jareau?" Jack retorted. He knew Henry's father had passed away, like his mommy.

"Yes, I don't like it when she goes away."

"It's okay though," Jack said. "Because they chase the bad guys, so we can be safe. My aunt Jessie says my dad is a superhero! That's why they have to go away sometimes." Jack explained.

Henry nodded, but didn't say anything. He was comforted by the fact that he wasn't the only one feeling sad when his mommy was away.

Both boys eventually fell asleep before the movie ended, dreaming of puppies and superheroes.

* * *

**AN:** So, what did you think? Please let me know, the good, that bad, the ugly. It really does mean a lot to be when you take a second to leave a review. It definitely encourages me to write more and faster. And I don't really want to post anything nobody is enjoying, so please let me know!

Next chapter is going to be about soccer, shopping trips and some more fluff, if you are up for it!

And finally, I met Matthew Gray Gubler at the Fantasia Film Festival last night, and omg he is even more awesome than I thought he would be! :D


	4. Friday

**AN:** Well, here it is. The last chapter of this story! I feel pretty accomplished! I'm so _thankful _for all of you who have read/reviewed/followed/favourited this story! Thank you!

I want to also say a huge thank you to **long-live-HP-PJ-HG** for the emotional support and hilarious/random PMs! You are awesome!

I won't ramble on and on, promise! I just want to say that I have no knowledge of plane mechanics and why the jet would be grounded. I just needed an excuse for them to come home late…

All mistakes are mine!

**Disclaimers**: I do not own _Criminal Minds_ or its characters. This is for entertainment purposes only, and I am not receiving any kind of compensations.

* * *

Garcia woke up the next morning to a missed call from Hotch, or so she suspected; she still hadn't put her glasses on. Yes, her boss had called her. A phone call so early in the morning, from past experience, could only mean trouble. Seeing that he had phoned only fifteen minutes ago, the FBI analyst, with a swift slide of her thumb, unlocked the screen to call him back.

"Hotchner," the unit chief answered promptly.

"Morning, Sir," Penelope greeted him, her usual peppiness lacking, her voice still hoarse with sleep. "I just saw you tried to call, I'm sorry I didn't hear it." She breathed out tiredly.

After putting the two young boys to bed the previous night, Garcia had been constantly on the phone with one colleague or another, fishing for whatever information they needed. Her fingers had danced over her keyboards until 3:45AM. It was now 6:00AM.

"It's okay Garcia. I was just calling to let you know we apprehended our UnSub around 5:15 this morning. Joaquin Fisher was our guy."

"Oh! Well that's definitely good news! I mean, not that he is a murderer and that he killed over five innocent people, but that he is now in custody." Garcia fell back against her pillows, relieved that her teammates were safe and would be coming home shortly.

"Since we caught him, I thought you could have the day off. I know Henry and Jack are with you so it would just be easier to stay home than bring them to the office. The jet is grounded 'til further notice anyway. It needs a mechanical checkup before we can take off. We don't know how long it'll take," her boss sounded annoyed. The computer whiz noticed that it was easier to decipher his tones when he was tired. His voice rarely betraying the emotions he felt.

"Oh, that's wonderful, Sir! Thank you. I'll text Jessica and tell her to come over later to pick Jack up," the Tech was actually thankful. After the crazy busy week she had had, and the almost all-nighter she had just pulled, she would welcome with open arms the few extra hours of sleep she could get. They hung up, and Garcia began a new text message.

**Hey Jessica, I have the day off, so why don't you go home after your shift and get some rest. Don't worry about Jack. He and Henry are having a great time. TTYL, Penelope**

Garcia pressed '_send'_, flung her phone on the other side of the bed. Listening carefully to make sure the children were still asleep, she then pulled the blankets over her head, determined to get at least another hour of sleep.

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Jack was the first boy to wake up that morning. He tossed and turned for about five minutes before getting bored. He sat in bed, the air mattress squeaking under him. The young Hotchner had always been an early bird. Clooney, who was still lying on the floor, shot Jack an annoyed look before resting his head on his forepaws again and closing his eyes.

Jack looked around the room, searching for the alarm clock. 7:15AM, it wasn't too bad. His father always said he had to wait until at least 7AM to get out of bed on the weekends. It was fifteen minutes past, therefore it was okay. Pushing the blankets off him, the boy got on his knees and crawled to Henry's bed.

"Henry, you awake?" Jack asked shaking gently his friend's shoulder. "Henry?"

The younger boy grunted and unconsciously turned his head away from Jack. He sighed heavily as he buried his head in his pillow. Henry was not easy to wake up, but Jack was up for the challenge. He really didn't want to be the only one awake, it just wasn't any fun.

"Henry! Wake up! It's morning, we can watch _Rio_ if you want!" Jack tried to allure his friend, hoping it would work. When Jack realised Henry was still sleeping, he shook him a bit more harshly. "Henry!" Jack whispered a bit louder, but Henry was dead to the world.

Frustrated, the young Hotchner reached behind him to grab his pillow and hit the younger boy in the face with it. _Thump!_ He didn't mean to hurt him. Jack really was not a violent or a mean child, but he didn't know how else to get his friend to get up.

"Ow!" Henry cried, startled. Pushing the pillow off his face, the little blond boy sat up in bed and rubbed his face with his hand. He frowned at Jack offended, not used to be awaken so brutally.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to…" Jack didn't have time to finish his sentence; his pillow was thrust back in his face. He stared at Henry in shock, his mouth wide open. The younger blond stared back, a smile tugging the corner of his mouth at Jack's surprised expression. A few seconds later, they were both giggling madly, trying to stifle their laughs not to wake up their aunt.

"Do you want to watch _Rio_?" Jack asked once their giggles had subsided.

"Oh! Yeah, that's a good idea!" Henry practically squealed. He jumped onto Jack's air mattress causing the older boy to lose his balance and he bounced off the bed, landing on the floor on his back, legs in the air.

Henry gasped, covering his mouth with both hands, afraid he had hurt Jack. The young Hotchner lowered his legs, and started to once again shake with laughter, much to Henry's relief. The boys were thrown into another fit of giggles. They held their bellies, doubled over in an attempt to catch their breaths. Finally, they were able to stand up, and hushing one another, they padded across the room, and onto the hallway, trying to be as quiet as possible. Clooney thought it was probably unwise to let these two unsupervised, and waddled after them his eyes still clouded with sleep.

Upon reaching their destination, Henry climbed on the couch still a bit dazed with sleep, leaving Jack the task of turning on the TV and starting the movie.

The older boy stared down in confusion at the panoply of remotes displayed on the coffee table. At his house, Jack only had two remotes, one for the TV and one for the DVD player. He didn't want to admit he didn't know which one to use, so he just kept staring, trying to remember which one his auntie had used the previous night.

"It's the one with the little screen on it," Henry said nonchalantly, discerning the puzzlement in his friend's face.

Jack's face reddened a bit in embarrassment. Without looking at Henry who was actually paying him no mind and was cuddling with Clooney, he picked it up and pointed it at the TV to turn it on. The _Netflix_ menu automatically came on, and Henry told him he only had to use the arrows to navigate through the movie selection. Jack scrolled down a bit, and finally found the film he was looking for.

Once he made sure _Rio_ was starting, he set down the remote and settled himself on the couch, his legs thrown over Clooney's body so he and Henry were sitting close to each other, snuggling under a blanket.

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Half an hour later, Henry's tummy started to growl angrily.

"I'm hungry," the little boy stated, his eyes riveted to the screen.

"Yeah, me too," Jack replied his gaze fixed on the TV just as engrossed as Henry by the animation. "What does Auntie Pen has for breakfast?" the older boy questioned, knowing Henry was here more often.

"I don't know… I always have _Froot Loops_! They're my favourite."

"Do you want pancakes?" Jack turned to face Henry, a mischievous grin on his face. "I know how to make them, my daddy taught me!"

Henry stared at his friend in awe. He always thought making pancakes was so complicated, you had to measure everything: the milk, the flour, the butter… And he wasn't allowed to touch the stove.

"We could make pancakes for Auntie Pen'lope!" Henry cried excitedly. "She loves surprises! She told me so!"

The movie forgotten, the two boys scrambled off the couch, and hurried to the kitchen, Clooney on their heels. The dog eyed them suspiciously and barked a warning.

"Shhhh! Clooney!" Henry whispered, "Bad dog! You're gonna wake up Auntie Pen'lope," the boy chastised the German Sheppard.

"Maybe he's hungry?" Jack proposed, seeing that the dog's dish was empty. "Where's his food?"

Henry pointed to the cupboard under the sink.

"I have to go pee," Henry announced seriously. "You feed Clooney, but wait for me I want to help with the pancakes too, okay?" Jack nodded as he hauled the heavy bag of dog food out of the cabinet. Satisfied with Jack's response, Henry scuttled to the bathroom, careful not to make too much noise. Once his business done, he decided that flushing the toilet would be too noisy. He then climbed on his step stool, washed his hands hastily and ran back to the kitchen where Jack had pulled two chairs by the counter.

Henry's eyes were instantly drawn to Clooney's overflowing bowl. The dish wasn't even visible under the mountain of food! He watched, amused, as the dog engulfed mouthful after mouthful. This had definitely been Clooney's lucky week. He had been over-fed two mornings in a row.

"Clooney's gonn' get reaaaally big!" The younger boy declared, cracking up. "You gave him too much!"

"It was an accident," Jack said a bit nervous about the mess he'd made. He was hoping Clooney would eat it all up before his auntie woke up. He really didn't want to get in trouble. "Now, come on! We have pancakes to make! You get the butter, the milk and an egg. I'll get the dry stuff." Jack commanded, taking charge of the kitchen.

Henry stomped to the fridge, intending on completing his mission with success. Opening the door, he studied its content. The only thing the little blond could reach was the milk. Garcia always left it on the bottom shelf so he could make himself cereal in the mornings. Spotting the carton of eggs on the top shelf and the butter on the top door tray, Henry handed Jack the milk before pushing his chair in front of the refrigerator.

Jack on the other hand, wasn't having the same luck. Garcia didn't seem to have any flour, no vanilla extract and no baking powder. She, however, had a lot of confectioner sugar. Deciding that it pretty much had the same texture (and it was even sweeter), Jack took the container out, and some baking soda. They would have to make do without the vanilla.

"Jack, here," Henry tossed him an egg, but Jack wasn't ready. The egg shattered with a wet plop on the floor. "Oh, oh…" He looked up at his friend wide-eyed, a look of utter terror painted on his face. "I didn't mean to! Auntie Pen'lope is gonna be mad at me." His eyes filled with tears.

"It's okay," Jack assured him, "we can clean it up ourselves when we're done. It's really not a big deal, Henry." The young Hotchner stepped down from his chair and walked to the fridge. "Just hand me another one, I'll be careful."

Reassured, Henry did as he was told, before grabbing the butter. He then moved his chair back to the counter where his friend had found a bowl and a whisk. He clambered on his chair so he was standing next to Jack, ready to start mixing their ingredients. The older boy racked his brain trying to figure out what their next step should be. He remembered something about measuring the flour and milk, but right now that seemed like a lot of work. He could probably just estimate.

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Their pancake batter looked everything but appetizing. Jack had put in the butter without melting it first, which was probably safer for everyone that way, and he had let Henry crack the egg. Needless to say their pancakes would be crunchy. Having found the _perfect_ pan according to the younger boy, they were about to turn the stove on when Garcia made her apparition. Her timing really was impeccable, her kitchen not so much.

The children were startled by the loud gasp their auntie let out at the sight of the two of them hovering over the electric stove. Henry sent the whisk covered in their pancake goo flying across the room as he let out a shriek. Jack almost fell off his chair, catching himself on the counter at the last moment.

"What are you two doing?!" Penelope asked bewildered, still not believing what she was seeing.

Her kitchen was an absolute mess. There was dog food everywhere on the floor, the fridge door was wide open, confectioner sugar dusted the kids' blond hair and her counter surface was a battlefield where the milk had clearly won. What unnerved her the most though, was the image of her two nephews perched over the stove. Surveying the damages that had been done in the kitchen, she wondered how she had slept through the din they must have made. Garcia was well aware of the fact that she had just avoided an inevitable catastrophe, and thanked her lucky star.

"You better get off these chairs right this second and explain yourself or else…" Or else what? She really didn't know.

The boys nimbly did as commanded, but Jack slipped on the raw egg they had dropped earlier. Surprised, he yelped as he landed hard on his bum, the viscous substance soaking through his pyjama pants, and he started crying. Henry, who didn't understand why his aunt looked so mad, just stared blankly as the whole scene played before his eyes and started to cry too, overwhelmed by the surprise and confusion.

Garcia quickly recovered from the shock upon hearing them both sob, and switched back to her 'fun and quirky Auntie Penelope' mode. She shuffled forward, and knelt in front of the blond duo. Gathering them both awkwardly in her arms with Jack sitting on the floor and Henry standing up, she rubbed their back in an attempt to soothe them.

"Shh, it's okay. Auntie isn't mad, I promise. I was just really afraid you guys would hurt yourselves up there," she confessed. Pulling away slightly so she could look at them, she continued, "You both know we don't play with the stove..."

"B-but we weren't playing!" Henry exclaimed through his tears, interrupting her. He glanced down at Jack who looked properly ashamed for support, and was thoroughly confused by his friend's demeanour. They were only trying to be nice and cook breakfast for her. What was so wrong about that?

"We just wanted to make breakfast for you. It was going to be a surprise!" The younger boy cried harder, disappointed their plan was ruined and clearly not appreciated.

Those words crushed Garcia's heart. They were such sweet and innocent boys. They had never meant to disobey her. They were simply too young to see the danger of their actions, let along think of their consequences.

"Aw, my sweets," she cooed. "That was really nice of you two, but the oven is really dangerous. It gets really hot, and you could hurt yourselves pretty badly. Only adults can use it," Garcia explained calmly. "It's important that you both understand, okay? I'm not mad, I just got scared."

Jack and Henry nodded in understanding, swallowing back their tears, relieved that their aunt wasn't angry with them. Jack stood up, but kept staring at the floor, unsure of what to do next.

Henry who hadn't fully grasped the severity of their actions just looked up and said, "Well, I'm really hungry...My tummy is screaming at me, listen!"

"Oh man!" Garcia chuckled as she rose up from her crouched position. "We better feed you before your stomach eats itself! How about you two go get dressed in your room while I clean up a little here, and then we'll go to IHOP?" She suggested smiling, rising her eyebrows questioningly.

Both of the little boys' face instantly lit up.

"Yeaaaaah!" Henry squealed as he ran out of the kitchen and into the hallway.

Jack followed him out, but then he hesitated before disappearing around the corner. He came back into the kitchen, and called out, "Auntie Pen?"

"Yes, sweetie?" She turned around to face him. He had his hands clasped behind his back, and he was avoiding her gaze.

"I'm sorry we scared you. And for the mess. Do you…do you still love me?" he asked sadly, his voice strangled with tears.

"Aw, Jack!" Garcia walked to him and picked him up, hugging him as tight as she could. "Of course I still love you, sugar puff! I will always love you, no matter what."

The little boy wrapped his arms around her neck and rested his head on her shoulder for a few seconds, comforted by her embrace. Then, wriggling himself free, he dashed out of the room yelling, "IHOP, here we cooooome!"

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"These two are absolutely, positively the most precious things!" their waitress crooned as she watched adoringly the kids who were busy drawing superheroes while whispering plans and tactics to rescue IHOPville's population. "You are a blessed woman. My name's Amanda, if you need anything," she said as she refilled Garcia's water.

Flattered, Garcia didn't even bother correcting the waitress assumption that they were hers. She simply nodded her thanks.

"I think we're actually ready to order," Garcia told the young woman as she handed back the menu. "Aren't we, boys?"

Henry propped himself on his knees and leaned on the table, raising his hand.

"I want to go first!" he exclaimed waving his hand to get the waitress' attention.

"Okay, I'm listening, what would you like today?" Amanda asked politely.

"I woul' like the funny face pancake and orange juice, please," Henry beamed at her.

"Perfect! And for you, Mister?" she turned to Jack.

The young Hotchner smiled shyly biting his thumb, quickly glancing toward Garcia to make sure it was okay to order. "May I have the rooty jr. and hot chocolate?" Jack ordered, "Oh! Please and thank you!"

"Aw, you boys are so well behaved," Amanda was charmed by the children's manners. "And would you like whipped cream with your hot cocoa?" Jack gave her a quick nod before picking up his crayon again.

"And for you?" the waitress asked Garcia.

"I'll just have the original pancakes with coffee, please." Amanda nodded as she scribbled their orders on her pad, promising that their food would arrive soon.

And just like promised Amanda was back with their breakfast in no time. Plates and cups were put on the table, smiles widened and eyes sparkled a little bit brighter as the trio dug into their pancakes.

"Tish ish so good!" Henry exclaimed with a mouthful, eyes closed, savouring his first bite.

"I could eat pancakes forever and eternity," Jack agreed with his friend as he spooned a bit of whipped cream from his mug.

Garcia laughed before taking a sip of her coffee revelling in its warmth and its caffeine. It wasn't the best coffee, but it beat the bureau's muddy water. The boys were right; this was just like heaven.

"So what do you guys want to do today?" Penelope probed when they were all pretty much done devouring their plates.

"But, weren't we supposed to go to work with you?" Jack questioned suddenly remembering what Garcia had told them the previous night.

"I don't wanna. I want to play soccer with Jack! He promised me we would! Didn't you, Jack-Jack?" Henry pouted. Jack nodded vigorously, hoping they wouldn't have to spend their day off cooped up in the analyst's dark office. They both loved going to their parents' work, but if they had to choose between a day playing outside tossing a soccer ball and sitting all day, they would both favour the former. Especially after the sugary breakfast they just had.

"Well, you are in luck because I don't have to go in today," Garcia started to explain. "Your mommy and daddy caught the bad guy while you were sleeping last night, and they are coming home later today."

"Oh yay!" Henry shouted fists pumping in the air, happy he would have a friend his own age to play soccer with.

"Is the bad man going to prison?" Jack inquired sheepishly.

"Yes, yes he will. Your daddy will make sure he never hurts anyone else," Garcia ruffled his hair, reassuring him. "So you boys want to go play soccer, uh?" She repeated their request, trying to bring the focus of the conversation back to their day, and not some crazy psycho.

"Yes!" They both cried out a little louder than they should have in a public place. A few heads turned in their direction, but Garcia ignored them.

"Can we go back to the soccer field and practice there?" Jack proposed. "I could wear my shoes and shin guards and Henry could try and score goals, I could be the goalie!"

Henry's brows furrowed deeply, and he shoved his plate before crossing his arms over his chest grumpily. Garcia and Jack looked at each other, surprised by the little blond's outburst.

"Hey, what's the matter, Gumdrop?" Garcia asked, swiping a strand of fine blond hair to see his eyes. He backed away from her hand and grumbled something incomprehensible.

"Henry, why are you mad? Don't you want to play soccer?" Jack tried to figure out what had made his friend angry.

"Yes," the younger boy mumbled.

"Okay, so what has my little ray of sunshine turned into a big cloud of thunder?" Garcia wondered, keeping her voice soothing.

"I want to be a goalie too!" he protested forcefully.

"Oh, that's okay. We can take turns," Jack suggested sounding just like his father.

"But I don't have soccer shoes or pads," he said, frustrated. "So I can't be a goalie."

"Honey, it's okay. We can just dropped by your house and get your soccer gear. It's on the way," Garcia pointed out calmly, determined to put a smile back on her godson's face again.

"No! I DON'T HAVE SHOES OR ANYTHING!" Henry screamed angrily at the top of his lungs. "I JUST HAVE A BALL!" He crossed his arms on the table and hid his face.

Jack stared at him open-mouthed. He had never seen his friend so angry, and he was pretty sure they weren't allowed to yell like that in a restaurant. He cast a glance around the room, and sure enough, everyone was looking their way, most of them seeming annoyed or shocked. Jack flushed in embarrassment.

"First of all, this is not a way to talk to people, Henry," Garcia reprimanded him nudging his elbow. "No matter how angry or frustrated you are, you do not scream like that.

"I'm _sowry_," Henry's voice was muffled by his arms, his chin still tucked to his chest.

"Second of all, I can't believe your mommy didn't equip you properly!" the Tech added more lightly. "We're gonna have to remedy that, what do you think?"

Henry tentatively peeked from under his arms. Unsure if this wasn't just a trick.

"What d'ya mean?" He drawled, sounding more like his father when he talked that way.

"I mean we need to get you proper equipment so you can play safely with Jack when we go to the soccer field! We have to go and buy you some good cleats so you won't slip and fall and some shin guards so you won't get hurt if Jack kicks it a little too hard," Garcia was having trouble containing her excitement. Any excuse was a good excuse to go shopping, and it was twice as much fun when it was for her nephews. The smaller, the cuter! She just couldn't help herself.

Henry seemed skeptical at first. His mama had told him they would go, but they never did...

"Today?" the blond boy finally looked up, hope shining in his deep blue eyes.

"Oh please, Auntie Pen!" Jack chimed in when he saw that Henry perked up at the idea. "It would be so awesome! We'd both be real soccer players!"

Garcia who was just as thrilled as them nodded, "Yes! As soon as we're done with our breakfast we'll stop by the mall."

Henry sat up straight, took a huge bite of his now cold pancake and washed it down with a gulp of orange juice. "Okay, I'm done!" he exclaimed as he swiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "We can go!"

Jack giggled at Henry's funny expression and ate the last of his sausage. Happy to see both her boys smiling, Penelope drank the last of her coffee. She had hoped to get a refill, but there was a Starbucks at the mall; their coffee was way better anyway.

Once the bill was paid Amanda thanked and wished them a good day. The three of them walked out hand in hand, Garcia swinging their arms playfully as they crossed the parking lot.

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They entered the DC shopping mall just a little past 9:30AM. As they walked through the throng of people, Garcia's gripped their hands a bit tighter.

"Don't forget, you stay close so I can always have an eye on both of you," she reminded them, a little freaked out. She didn't expect the mall to be so crowded, so early on a week day. Garcia had no problem with crowds, but she knew the mall was the perfect place to abduct children, and she wasn't about to let her little sunshines out of her sight.

Henry spotted _Modell's Sporting Goods_ first and started running, pulling his godmother behind him. Once in the store, the boys let go of Penelope's hands and made their way to the back, where the shoes were all on display. Jack and Henry gawked in awe at the multiple and colourful choices.

"Good morning, gentlemen! Is there anything in particular you are looking for today?" the salesman greeted the boys and then Garcia with a smile.

Jack, seeing that Henry was a little bit shy decided to take the lead.

"We're looking for soccer cleats for my fr-cousin," Jack stated solemnly taking Henry's hand.

"Wonderful," the salesman replied copying Jack's tone. "We have a large selection of soccer shoes for young men. Is there a colour you would like in particular?" the man bent down slightly to look Henry in the eyes.

"Orange," Henry answered softly partially hiding behind Jack. The clerk gave him a wide smile before turning around, and walking towards the wall where all the shoes were. He grabbed a few models and presented them to the boys. Garcia stayed back, letting them handle the situation.

Henry's eyes widened at the sight of a bright orange and green Nike pair. He turned so he could see his godmother. "Can I get those?" he breathed out pointing at the ones he wanted. His two favourite colours!

"Sure, buddy," Penelope said smiling. Her nephew really had great tastes!

"What shoe size do you wear?" the seller asked Henry, who looked at Jack unsure. The older boy raised a finger signaling the salesman to just wait a moment and walked quickly over to Garcia.

"What's his shoe size?" he queried, his voice low.

"Eleven," she murmured in his ear allowing him to act like a grown-up. Jack nodded and went back to stand next to Henry. "He wears eleven."

Trying to conceal his smile and remain serious, the salesman told them he would be back in a minute with the right size. Jack ushered Henry toward the little bench so he could take his shoes off while they waited.

"Aren't they cool?!" Henry raved, unable to mask his enthusiasm. "I hope they have my size!" And with that said, the seller came back carrying a little orange box in his hands.

"You are one lucky boy," he announced. "This is the last pair!"

Henry quickly tried them on, walked around the store to make sure they were comfortable and sat back down on the bench.

"So, how do you like them?" the man asked Henry.

"I love them!"

Jack turned to Garcia who seemed to understand what he wanted to ask. She nodded, and Jack said proudly, "We'll take them!"

"YAY!" Henry squealed. "Can I keep 'em on?"

"If your mommy says it's okay, I don't see why not," the vendor answered, looking up to smile at Garcia. The FBI analyst smiled back once again not bothering saying she wasn't the mom but the aunt.

"Of course, Gumdrop, you can keep them on. We need to get you shin guards and socks, and then we'll be ready to go!"

Shopping had never been this fast. They'd been in an out of the mall in less than thirty minutes. When everyone was seated in the car, Garcia remembered that she hadn't checked her phone since she'd woken up, and took it out of her back pocket. The boys were quietly talking about soccer in the back, so she didn't feel rushed. There were a few new text messages and she took the time to read them.

**Thank you so much, Penelope. That is so nice of you. I'll probably pick him up around 4PM then. I talked to Aaron. They should be back later tonight. Call me, Jess.**

**Hey Baby Girl! We're comin' home later tonight. Can't wait to see you and my boy, Clooney. I'll ride with JJ. D'ya have beer and chips? **

**Can you come in tomorrow morning? We're revising the security parameters, and resetting all of the wireless connections. Text me, Kev :p**

**Hey Pen, hope Henry isn't giving you too much trouble. We'll be home really late. Like 2AM or something. Call me, love you.**

Garcia replied to Derek and Kevin's texts with two short ones of her own, and decided to call Jessica and JJ later when the boys would be playing at the park.

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They made a brief stop at Garcia's apartment. Jack changed his shoes and grabbed his soccer bag, while Garcia filled both boys' water bottles and got some snacks for them. Henry decided he really had to go to the bathroom before they left as he didn't want to have to use the blue toilet again.

Clooney stared at them pitifully from under the kitchen table until Garcia announced that he was coming too. The dog appeared to have somehow understood because he got up, stretched and ran to the living room to fetch his ball.

Together, they made their way back to the car, the two boys chatting animatedly leading the way with Clooney and Garcia quietly following behind.

When they got to the soccer field, Jack and Henry were pleased to see that it was empty. They had the whole thing to themselves! They screamed and cheered, running freely around. It was their warm-up, Jack explained.

Garcia told them she would just be by the bleachers making a few phone calls and playing with the dog over there so the German Sheppard wouldn't be trying and steal their soccer ball. The boys barely registered what she had told them, too busy being children.

A few moments later, when Penelope was certain the boys didn't need her, she pulled out her phone and threw Clooney's ball as far as she could before pressing speed-dial to call JJ.

"Jennifer Jareau." JJ sounded exhausted.

"Hey, Sunshine! How are you doing?" Penelope asked pleasantly.

"Hey, Pen. I'm okay, can't wait to get on the jet and get home. Is everything okay with Henry?" JJ replied.

"Henry is fine, he's playing soccer with Jack as we speak," Garcia bent down to pick up Clooney's ball before throwing it again. "Fetch!"

"Say what?" JJ wasn't sure she had heard correctly.

"Sorry, I'm playing fetch with Clooney. So do you guys know when you'll be able to leave?"

"Ugh, nobody knows really. Hotch's been told we wouldn't land in D.C. before 1:30AM. I don't really know what is going on. Do you want me to pick up Henry when arrive or tomorrow morning? I think Derek wants to go straight to your place since his car is still there, but I don't want to wake you up in the middle of the night…"

"It's okay. I think my prince will be spending the night at my place anyway. I'll be awake and waiting for you guys. Besides, Kevin asked me to go in and help him in the morning," Garcia explained.

"Okay good, because I really can't wait to see Henry and hug him," JJ confessed. "I miss him so much."

"I know you do, Sweetie," Penelope said sadly. "You'll see him soon. Have you been sleeping okay? You sound tired, Jayje." She heard JJ take a deep breath.

"This case wasn't really conducive to sleep," JJ said a little too harshly. She knew her friend was concerned about her, and it was sweet. But the entire team had been on her back, coddling her, and JJ was getting sick of it. She didn't want anyone's pity. Feeling bad though she added, "Now that the case is over, I'll try and nap until we can leave for the airport…or something."

"Good. You need to take care of yourself too, Sunshine. Well, I'll let you go now, and I'll see you tonight. I love you, JJ."

"Okay, I love you too. See you later."

Garcia hung up and stared at her phone dejectedly. Clooney nudged her iPhone with his snout, and she picked his ball once again, throwing it far into the trees. The dog darted into the shrubs, and she made sure the boys were okay. Jack was smiling assuming the goalie position, ready, and Henry was holding his stomach as he giggled madly. The sight made Penelope smile, and her heart felt a little lighter.

She kept on playing with the German Sheppard for another fifteen minutes. Clooney decided that he had enough of retrieving the tennis ball, and he hid under the bleachers rolling onto his back to take a well-deserved nap.

"You lucky, dog," the Tech mumbled, taking a seat on the metal bench. Now was a good time to call Jack's aunt.

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The boys ran out on the field, squealing when they saw they had it all to themselves. Jack had put his shin guards under his socks in the car, and had helped Henry do the same so they would be ready.

"We need to do a warm-up!" Jack explained. "We'll do one lapse around the field and then we can play." That's always what they did during practice. Henry followed his friend as the older boy started to jog on the white line surrounding the field. His motor-skills weren't as developed as Jack's and he struggled to keep up, begging Jack to wait for him. The young Hotchner obliged, reaching a hand out for Henry to take. Henry grabbed it and they ran side by side, both laughing hysterically without really knowing why. That was the beauty of being children.

"Can we play now?" Henry asked out of breath as they came to a stop in front of the net. Hands on his knees, panting, Jack nodded.

"I'll go get the ball!" The older boy announced.

Jack was the first to be in the net filling in as the goal keeper. He encouraged his younger friend to kick as hard as he could. Henry, having played numerous times with his mama before, knew how to efficiently kick a soccer ball, but being a five year-old meant you sometimes fell on your butt while trying to hit the ball. The first time it happened, Jack thought Henry would start crying, but fortunately the young LaMontagne was as tough has his parents, and he simply doubled over in laughter, bringing Jack down with him.

They played for a good two hours, switching positions. Jack tried to show Henry how to feint, but even though the younger boy understood, he couldn't execute them smoothly and Jack was always able to anticipate his moves. They both received a ball or two in the face and in the stomach, and even though it hurt, they swallowed their complaints, the two boys too proud to show weakness. It was all part of the game after all.

"Ouuf! I'm thirsty," Jack said, swiping the sweat off his forehead with his arm.

"Me too. Water break!" Henry announced, running off to where Garcia was sitting.

"You boys are having fun?" the Tech asked looking up from the book she was reading when she heard the children getting closer.

Henry nodded before picking up his water bottle and taking a long gulp of the cool liquid. He then released a satisfied sigh and plopped down on the ground crossing his legs Indian style.

"I think I'm hungry," he stated matter-of-factly, squinting up at his godmother in the bright sun light. Jack who had sat down next to Garcia on the bench let them know he was starving too as he continued to sip on his water.

"Well, I have bananas and granola bars, what would you like, Henry?"

"Both, I'm really, _really_ hungry," the younger boy said it so seriously; both Garcia and Jack started laughing.

"What?" A puzzled expression crossed his face.

"Nothing, Sugarbug. Here," Garcia handed him his snacks smirking. "It must be all the kicking, running and laughing I heard! What do you want, Jack?"

"Banana, please," the boy reached out to take the fruit she was offering.

They ate in silence for a few minutes, basking in the late morning sunshine. Henry stretched his legs out in front of him, and lied on the grass. This was all the invitation Clooney needed to hover over the small boy and snatch the remaining half of his granola bar.

"Hey!" Henry cried miffed. The dog ran off when he realised the little blond boy wasn't going to let his snack go without a fight. "Clooney you come back here right now!" he yelled, scrambling to his feet. But it was too late. The German Sheppard had already swallowed his food.

"Arrgh!" Henry growled in frustration, "That was mine, Clooney. It's not nice!" The younger of the boys stomped his foot hard, angry tears threatening to spill.

"Ah, Henry! Let it go, Sugar," Garcia chuckled, pulling her godson on her lap, "Auntie Pen as more in her purse if you are still hungry." She brushed a piece of hair that was stuck on his forehead with sweat. "Yuck!" the FBI analyst exclaimed with exaggerated disgust, "You boys are all sweaty!"

"It's normal!" Jack giggled, "That's what happens when you play outside!" he explained patiently even though he knew she was only teasing them.

"You'll both have to take a shower before I release you to your parents," Garcia commented, "or else they'll think I didn't take proper care of you."

"Can I have another bar?" Henry interrupted the Tech's rambling, obviously still too preoccupied with food.

"If Henry dies of hunger his mommy will defin'ly think you didn't take care of him," Jack pointed out with a grin on his face.

"Smarty-pants," Garcia said tousling his short blond hair. "Mr. LaMontagne here is always hungry, aren't you, Sugarbug?"

"It's not my fault I'm growing!" Henry repeated what his mama always said before sticking his tongue out to no one in particular.

"You two are too smart for your own good," their aunt drawled pulling them both in a quick hug. She then slouched a bit to snatch the strap of her purse. Henry immediately stuck his little hand in to grab another granola bar.

"Well if you boys are done playing, we should head back home. I spoke with your aunt Jessica on the phone while you two were playing, and she'll pick you up around 4PM," Garcia told Jack.

"I still want to play!" Henry said as he leapt to his feet, skipping down the field.

The boys played for a few more minutes, until Henry decided to try and run to kick the ball as hard as he could, but he missed and landed hard on his back instead.

"Euuugh Ooff!" the little boy grunted as he felt he air knocked out of him.

"Henry! You okay?" Jack asked worriedly. "Auntie Penelope! Henry fell!"

Garcia, seeing that Henry wasn't getting up, quickly rose to her feet and rushed to the boys before kneeling next to the blond boy lying motionless on the ground.

"You okay, Gumdrop?" Henry looked up at her with hazy blue eyes, seeming still a little bit too shocked to speak. "Are you hurt? Do you feel okay?" He opened his mouth to answer, but decided he didn't really know how he felt. Instead, he struggled awkwardly to sit up, and Jack put a hand behind his shoulder to help his friend up. Henry shook his head to clear it.

"I think I want to go home now," he muttered holding back his tears. He didn't make eye contact with anyone, he simply walked stiffly back to the car, leaving Garcia and Jack no choice but to follow him. Henry wasn't really hurt, if only his pride. The fall had taken him by surprise and he got scared when he couldn't catch his breath at first.

"Let's go, Clooney. We're going home," Garcia said, picking up both hers and Jack's bag. The older boy had trotted after Henry wanting to make sure his young friend was okay.

"Are you okay?" Jack inquired, ever the protector. Henry nodded, wiping self-consciously a stray tear. "It's okay," the young Hotchner reassured, pulling him in a friendly hug. His daddy's hugs always made him feel better when he was hurt.

"You boys ready to head home?"

"I think so," Jack answered keeping an arm around Henry's shoulders.

CM-CM-CM

The rest of the afternoon had been quite uneventful. As soon as they had gotten back from the park, the boys had taken a quick shower before changing in a clean set of clothes and eat a light lunch. They had then taken out a few board games, but only played _Guess Who?_ Henry had quickly grown disinterested because of his impressive losing strike, and they had settled in front of _The Cat in the Hat_ until Jessica had arrived to pick Jack up in the early evening.

"Well, once again, thank you so, so much for taking care of Jack," Jessica expressed her gratitude as she raked her fingers through her nephew's hair. Henry was pressed flush against Garcia's legs, waving goodbye to his friend.

"It really was a pleasure. They boys had a great time together," Garcia assured her. "You guys have a safe drive home," she wished them, closing the door behind them.

"Looks like it's just the two of us again now, Gumdrop," Garcia said.

"And Clooney!" Henry reminded her.

"Oh, of course! How could I forget about my gorgeous beast," she glanced at the dog lying on the couch. He was getting more and more lazy. "So what do you want to do now, Henry?" The Tech analyst asked her godson.

The little boy shrugged. Henry was getting impatient to see his mommy again. Now that Jack was gone, even though Garcia did her best to try and always entertain him, he didn't have a friend his age to play with. He was missing his own toys and house.

"When is mama comin' to get me?" he asked, gnawing on his lower lip.

"Your mommy is gonna come and get you as soon as her plane arrives, sweet cheeks," Garcia said, leading him to the living room.

"Am I gonn' sleep here again?"

"You are going go to bed here tonight, but tomorrow morning you'll wake up in your own bed at home with mommy!" she told him, jabbing his tummy playfully, earning a chuckle from the little guy.

"Now, what do you wanna do?"

"Watch _Rio_!"

"Again?" Garcia made a mental note to hack the _Netflix_ server later and take down the Pixar animation from their list.

CM-CM-CM

A soft knock on the door woke Penelope from a light slumber. She had fallen asleep while waiting for her friends. _My Little Pony_ was still on, though it was few episodes farther into the series. She got up clumsily, still tangled in the soft throw she had wrapped herself into, and stretched before padding down the hall to answer the door. Clooney was already there, sitting straight with his tail wagging, sensing his master on the other side.

"Oh, Sunshine!" Garcia exclaimed, concern marring her voice as she took in her friend's disheveled appearance. "It's so good to have you home!" Penelope promptly wrapped JJ in a bear hug, and smiled when she felt the profiler return her embrace.

"Hey! What about me, mama?" Derek asked in mock jealousy. He knelt down in front of Clooney who didn't waste any time jumping on his owner and licking his face off.

Garcia looked in his direction, her arms still around JJ. "Your furry son is there to welcome you home, my love. Besides, I have all night to express to you just how happy I am that you have returned to me," she retorted cheekily.

"Sweetness to my ears!" Morgan replied wiggling his fingers underneath his ears. He got up, trying to get Clooney off him.

JJ cracked a smile at her friends' banter. These two were incorrigible. "Well, I won't be in your way for too long," the blonde profiler winked knowingly, unable to wipe the smirk off her face. Derek shook his head, chuckling.

Morgan went to get Henry as the two women discussed briefly of the little boy's stay; how he had been, what he had done. JJ swung her son's bag over her shoulder, and kissed Garcia on both cheeks, thanking her once again for everything. Derek handed her a sleeping Henry, and she took a second, closing her eyes, to relish the feeling of holding her son close to her heart.

"Goodnight, guys," JJ whispered, "I'll see you both on Monday."

"Night, Jayje. Take care, alright?" Derek said, kissing the side of her head.

"You text me when you get home. And you call me in the morning," Garcia urged, walking her to the door. "I love you, Sunshine."

"I love you too, PG. I'll call you, promise."

* * *

**AN:** What do you think? I would love to hear whatever you have to say about this chapter and the story in general. Feedback is always appreciated, especially since this is the first multi-chapter story I wrote since 2009!

I'll leave my tumblr URL in my profile, if you want to prompt me or something! That would be great!

Have a lovely weekend!


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